Over 800 COVID-19 Cases Confirmed from Large Thai Seafood Market

Seafood market in Samut Sakhon Province, Thailand, closed due to a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] The number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) at Thailand's largest seafood market has exceeded 800.

Amid suspected community transmission through Myanmar migrant workers working there, concerns about the spread are growing as confirmed cases have also emerged in five neighboring provinces.

According to local media and foreign reports on the 21st, the Thai government's COVID-19 Situation Administration Center (CCSA) announced that 382 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed that day.

Of the new cases, 360 were migrant workers linked to the large seafood market in Samut Sakhon Province, southwest of Bangkok, the CCSA explained. This brings the total number of COVID-19 cases related to the seafood market to 821, the CCSA added. Thailand's cumulative confirmed cases stand at 5,289, with about 4,300 excluding the cluster infection at the seafood market.

The Mahachai seafood market, the largest in Thailand, is well known as a place where wholesalers and retailers from various provinces purchase seafood such as shrimp. Health authorities believe community transmission occurred among Myanmar migrant workers working there. Local media including the Bangkok Post reported, citing the Ministry of Public Health data, that 10% of the workers at the market are Thai, while the rest are Myanmar migrant workers.

In particular, health authorities stated that the community transmission originating from the seafood market has so far spread to five neighboring provinces. Three cases were confirmed in Samut Prakan Province, two each in Bangkok and Nakhon Pathom Province, and one each in Suphanburi and Ratchaburi Provinces.

Especially as COVID-19 is rapidly spreading in Myanmar, which shares a border with Thailand, health authorities are conducting COVID-19 tests on 10,000 Myanmar migrant workers. The number of tests is expected to expand to 40,000.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told the media, "I strongly hope the situation will calm down within a week," and said that additional lockdown measures are not currently being considered.

Meanwhile, Thai health authorities have imposed a nighttime curfew in Samut Sakhon Province from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. the next day. The curfew will remain in effect until January 3 of next year. Movement of residents outside the province is also prohibited.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.