Bangkok accelerating effort to screen migrant workers for virus
Bangkok authorities are speeding up the mission to screen migrant workers for Covid-19 across the capital.
On Friday, Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang said that 7,220 immigrant workers in 484 markets across the capital had been screened since December 21.
The move follows last week’s outbreak of Covid-19 among locals and migrant workers at a Samut Sakhon shrimp market, 45 kilometres southwest of Bangkok.
Posting on Facebook, Aswin said Bangkok officials will evaluate workers' history before conducting swab tests on those found to be at risk of infection.
"Meanwhile, we have screened 54,257 immigrant workers in 5,890 businesses and construction sites across the capital. We will complete the operation as soon as possible," he said.
"We would also like to thank the Mor Lab Panda team for their support," he said, referring to the popular Facebook page run by celebrity medic Parkpoom Dejhutsadin.
Aswin added that City Hall has deployed medical personnel to deal with the Covid-19 outbreak in Bangkok and its vicinity.
"We are ready to raise the protection level to curb the spread of the virus if the situation worsens," he said.
All public New Year’s events have been banned in Bangkok, which has been placed in the Orange zone (more than 10 cases) as part of the four zones – Green, Yellow, Orange, Red – of Covid-19 restrictions.