Thailand reports COVID-19 seafood market outbreak in biggest single day jump

At least 9 locally transmitted COVID-19 infections have been reported in a local seafood market in Thailand on December 18 in one of the largest outbreaks in the last 7 months. As many as three family members of a 67-year-old shrimp vendor at Samut Sakhon market were diagnosed positive after she reported symptoms of the COVID-19.  According to Bangkok’s local agency TNA, the woman reported a loss of smell and fatigue and was moved to a healthcare facility in the province. At least 18 others came in contact with the woman after health authorities initiated testing ad tracing. 

In a statement to the agency, Governor Weerasak Wijitsaengsri said that health experts conducted tests on at least 100 people on December 18, and continue to diagnose more customers. He informed,  that the market was closed down for sanitization and disinfection for 24 hours. While Thailand had declared a state of emergency in the month of March as 934 cases were confirmed in the country, Governor Wijitsaengsri informed that there would be no lockdown imposed for the containment efforts. 

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12 new domestic confirmed cases

Dr. Sophon Iamsirithaworn, director-general of the Communicable Diseases Division, told The Bangkok Post that the wholesaler who puts up a stall at Talad Klang Kung (shrimp market) had infected her 95-year-old elderly and vulnerable mother, elder sister, aged 73, and sister-in-law, 57. He informed, that the family was isolated and was under medical supervision in case of any symptoms.

The vendor was taken to the private hospital’s outpatient department at 6 pm by the health authorities where she was administered a COVID-19 test. The country reported 12 new domestic confirmed cases of the coronavirus, meanwhile, 34 more cases were imported from Myanmar, surging the nationwide tally to 4,331. There have been no recorded fatalities from the virus so far. While one of the regions of the outbreak was identified as the seafood market, health authorities were investigating origin of 4 more infections. 

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