The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the Institute for Urban Disease Control and Prevention have recorded a high case number at three densely populated communities in Khlong Toei district from their active case finding operations on 27-30 April.
1,336 people from these communities have been tested for COVID-19, with 99 of them found to have the virus. Most people were believed to have contracted the virus from their close relatives or friends.
Densely populated communities are a big challenge for disease control. With some 75,000 households living in these communities, health officials are now ramping up their test capacity to cut down the transmission chain as quickly as possible.
Health and city officials have set a target to test 1,000 people per day from their mobile units in Khlong Toei. This target continue to expand to cover people from all Khlong Toei communities from now until 19 May.
The Governor of Bangkok Pol Gen Aswin Kwanmuang has requested additional vaccines for at-risk population and those with exposure risk in Khlong Toei, similarly to their previous containment approach at Bang Khae and Thong Lor.
The Ministry of Defence’s Deputy Permanent Secretary Adm Somprasong Nilsamai has asked the Port Authority of Thailand to set up a field hospital at one of its warehouses at Bangkok Port, or so-called Khlong Toei Port, to accommodate COVID-19 patients from nearby communities.
Deputy Minister of Transport Atirat Ratanasate this morning inspected Bangkok Port’s facility to ensure its preparedness in hosting a field hospital.
A dedicated field hospital can help isolate infected patients from their densely populated homes. Without proper isolation, the transmission will continue to spread rapidly, overwhelming the healthcare system.
