New round of Covid infections in Samut Sakhon will cost province Bt1 billion daily: FTI chief
The tightening of measures in Samut Sakhon after the resurgence of Covid-19 will cost the province up to Bt1 billion daily in lost business, Federation of Thai Industries chairman Suphant Mongkolsuthree said on Monday.
However, he believes the outbreak will soon be contained.
He added that the government needs to urgently block all access points migrant workers use to sneak in and break the illegal gang that smuggles them in. He said this will curb the spread of infections among migrant workers.
He also pointed out that legal workers have passed the health check-up and have social security welfare.
There are 6,082 factories in Samut Sakhon with 345,284 workers, 23,307 of whom are foreigners.
Suphant said though the latest outbreak will dampen spending during the New Year break, but it will be on a short-term basis. He also said it will not have too much of an impact on the country’s economy next year, given that the vaccine has already been developed.
There were 382 new Covid-19 cases following active testing of migrant workers in Samut Sakhon province, and in quarantine facilities, over a 24-hour period, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) reported on Monday.
Most of the cases (360) were migrant workers in Samut Sakhon, there were 14 domestic cases in Ayutthaya, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Prakan, Bangkok and Tak provinces, while seven Thais and a foreigner tested positive in quarantine.
