Omicron super spreader event in Kalasin linked to 248 cases

[webfact]

Picture: Daily News

 

Daily News carried a report of comments by the chief of the Department of Disease Control Dr Opas Kankavinpong.

 

This came as more than 700 cases were reported nationwide of the new variant that has been found in 33 of Thailand's 77 provinces.

 

Dr Opas said that a super spreader case was identified in Kalasin with 248 people infected across 11 districts.

 

This had spread to other provinces namely don Thani, Mahasarakham, Nong Bua Lamphu, Roi-Et, Sakon Nakhon, Lamphun, Lampang, Ubon, Pitsanulok and Phetchabun. 

 

52 cases were found at a Bangkok university that was not named.

 

These derived from parties where food and alcohol was consumed between 8th and 14th December. 

 

A place described as a restaurant-cum-pub with poor ventilation was blamed. The virus was found in the air-con unit. It was called "Location A".

 

Dr Opas said that many places were not conforming to Covid Free Setting rules and he called for public caution.

 

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[RandiRona]

Yes there is a super spreader event, it's called virus...it always spreads fast. So need to focus on providing care to most affected individuals...... Arm them with oximeter, education. Gosh, its third wave...you cant stop it, better educate people to fight it and make them your ally. Panic wont work this time either.

[Geoffggi]

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

These derived from parties where food and alcohol was consumed between 8th and 14th December. 

A place described as a restaurant-cum-pub with poor ventilation was blamed.

They have to try and include the demon alcohol to all the bad reports, I'm sure everyone was not drinking alcohol why not report it as "A place where food & beverages were consumed between 8th & 14th December" 

[HashBrownHarry]

Location A, do they have a patient 0?

[ThailandRyan]

37 minutes ago, webfact said:

A place described as a restaurant-cum-pub with poor ventilation

What's a Cum-Pub?

[webfact]

Short-range aerosol suspected reason behind Kalasin Omicron cluster

By Tanakorn Sangiam

 

    

BANGKOK (NNT) - A pulmonologist at Siriraj Hospital has explained that the rapid spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant in Kalasin province might indicate a limited range of airborne transmissibility.

 

Dr Nithipat Jearakul, Head of the Department of Respiratory Disease and Tuberculosis at Siriraj Hospital, said he Omicron strain might be able to spread via short-range aerosol transmission. He based his theory on observations of the Kalasin cluster.

 

The outbreak, linked to a couple who traveled to Thailand from Belgium, was apparently able to spread despite the couple not having any physical contact with staffers at the establishments they visited.

 

Elaborating on the short-range transmission model, Dr Nithipat said the virus can be carried by very fine aerosol measuring less than 50 micrometers in diameter. This type of aerosol, which can easily be inhaled by others, can remain suspended in the air longer than larger forms of droplets of less than 5 micrometers in diameter.

 

According to the latest findings concerning the Omicron variant, which can remain in a patient’s upper respiratory tract for an extended period of time, those with the Omicron strain can expel the virus by talking, shouting, singing, coughing, and sneezing.

 

Dr. Nithipat also noted that this new strain might not be as capable of causing severe or prolonged disease compared to previous variants, despite its higher transmissibility. He added that this was partly due to Thailand’s robust disease control measures, vaccinations, and natural immunity from previous waves of infection.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-12-30

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

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[ThailandRyan]

So it could not have been spread via incidental contact, say te staffers not wearing gloves while taking the glasses they had used for drinking or the bottles away perchance?

[RichardColeman]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

A place described as a restaurant-cum-pub with poor ventilation was blamed. The virus was found in the air-con unit. It was called "Location A".

Sat waiting for the 'suspected dirty foreign tourist in location A' announcement update 

[ikke1959]

I am sorry but I don't believe anything about a super spreader. Indeed the couple had Omicron, but they did not bring the infection to 11 districts.. Indeed it spreads through the air and 1,5m distance doesn't seem enough, but on the other hand the symptons are much milder than the Delta, and nobody knows where he/she will get infected and by who. Silly to blame just 1 couple.. The other infections came from the Muslims who came back from Mekka. 

It is better to accept that Covid is everywhere around us, and we must be careful not to get it, but we even can't say we don't have it because of less symptons... In fact we are all super spreaders than. But you can't be blamed for somethin you are not aware of 

[ukrules]

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The outbreak, linked to a couple who traveled to Thailand from Belgium, was apparently able to spread despite the couple not having any physical contact with staffers at the establishments they visited.

Do people still seriously think it's spreading by personal contact as opposed to aerosol transmission?

 

 

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

52 cases were found at a Bangkok university that was not named.

 

These derived from parties where food and alcohol was consumed between 8th and 14th December

Wait for the new year, after people have traveled, families have dined together, students have partied and inter-provincial transport has done it's job.

[bradiston]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Short-range aerosol suspected reason behind Kalasin Omicron cluster

By Tanakorn Sangiam

 

    

BANGKOK (NNT) - A pulmonologist at Siriraj Hospital has explained that the rapid spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant in Kalasin province might indicate a limited range of airborne transmissibility.

 

Dr Nithipat Jearakul, Head of the Department of Respiratory Disease and Tuberculosis at Siriraj Hospital, said he Omicron strain might be able to spread via short-range aerosol transmission. He based his theory on observations of the Kalasin cluster.

 

The outbreak, linked to a couple who traveled to Thailand from Belgium, was apparently able to spread despite the couple not having any physical contact with staffers at the establishments they visited.

 

Elaborating on the short-range transmission model, Dr Nithipat said the virus can be carried by very fine aerosol measuring less than 50 micrometers in diameter. This type of aerosol, which can easily be inhaled by others, can remain suspended in the air longer than larger forms of droplets of less than 5 micrometers in diameter.

 

According to the latest findings concerning the Omicron variant, which can remain in a patient’s upper respiratory tract for an extended period of time, those with the Omicron strain can expel the virus by talking, shouting, singing, coughing, and sneezing.

 

Dr. Nithipat also noted that this new strain might not be as capable of causing severe or prolonged disease compared to previous variants, despite its higher transmissibility. He added that this was partly due to Thailand’s robust disease control measures, vaccinations, and natural immunity from previous waves of infection.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-12-30

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

I thought that's how it was transmitted since day one.

[Stefanix]

"Short-range aerosol suspected reason behind Kalasin Omicron cluster"

What's the news here?

[ukrules]

55 minutes ago, bradiston said:

I thought that's how it was transmitted since day one.

Yes

[brucegoniners]

Yeah. I've been to a few of the "restaurant cum pubs" myself, lol

[Lopchan]

5 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Sat waiting for the 'suspected dirty foreign tourist in location A' announcement update 

It was a Thai couple returning......

[IAMHERE]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

The virus was found in the air-con unit. It was called "Location A".

That is concerning. Too much like how Legionair desease spread. Some one coughs on the sink while washing their hands and ten minutes later I can get exposed to Covid ?  The weeks after these holidays are gonna be interesting.

[Kwaibill]

4 hours ago, bradiston said:

I thought that's how it was transmitted since day one.

The most common but not the only way. It has been found to persist on surfaces also, ergo the emphasis on frequent and proper hand sanitation.

[Dumbfounded]

10 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

What's a Cum-Pub?

Soi 6 springs to mind ????