Thai authorities want to test more than 10,000 people over a coronavirus outbreak in the country’s largest seafood market.
The epidemic protection authority will „contact around 10,300 people in several communities,“ said a spokesman for the Thai coronavirus crisis team yesterday. In the past few days, 689 coronavirus cases have been registered in connection with the Mahachai market in Samut Sakhon province, most of those infected are foreign workers from Myanmar.
A 67-year-old shrimp seller tested positive for the virus on Thursday. She allegedly infected numerous other people. The authorities told Myanmar market workers not to leave their homes.
Land has been spared so far
„We lock them up and forbid them to move,“ said Health Secretary Kietphgum Wongit. However, those affected are provided with food and water. The coronavirus tests are free for the guest workers and should last until Wednesday.
Before the coronavirus outbreak on the market, Thailand had only registered a total of 4,000 cases. In contrast, more than 115,000 cases have already been registered in neighboring Myanmar. The authorities in Bangkok announced that they would close schools in the surrounding regions. According to human rights organizations, the poorly paid guest workers from Myanmar often live in confined spaces.
