Thailand sees record 548 new virus cases tied to seafood market in Bangkok
- Most of the migrant workers in Samut Sakhon are from bordering Myanmar, which has reported more than 114,000 cases
- Provincial Governor Veerasak Vichitsaengsri said Samut Sakhon will enforce travel restrictions and shut down businesses
Thailand reported 548 new confirmed coronavirus cases in connection to its largest seafood market on Saturday.
The new infections were linked to a 67-year-old seafood vendor who tested positive on Thursday in Samut Sakhon province near Bangkok, said Opas Karnkawinpong, chief of the Disease Control Department, during a live television broadcast.
“More than 90 per cent of the confirmed cases showed no or few symptoms, and most were migrant workers,” he said, referring to 1,192 people tested by health officials.
While more infections may likely be found in the province due to migrant communities living in crowded area, they are considered a low-risk group who are mostly working age and healthy, Opas added.
01:50
Thailand testing more than 10,000 for Covid-19 after record daily spike of coronavirus cases
Most of the migrant workers in Samut Sakhon are from bordering Myanmar, which has reported more than 114,000 cases.
Provincial Governor Veerasak Vichitsaengsri said Samut Sakhon will enforce travel restrictions and shut down businesses in an effort to contain the spread of the virus until January 3.
A curfew will also be imposed from 10pm to 5am. “I have to say to the people that this is more than we expected and there is an urgent need to remedy this immediately and urgently,” Veerasak said.
The number marked a record high for daily cases since Thailand first reported coronavirus infection in January, the second country to be hit by the coronavirus outside China.
Thailand has so far reported 60 deaths, with over 4,300 confirmed coronavirus cases, most of whom fully recovered.
