A field hospital has been opened near the Central Shrimp Market in Samut Sakhon, which has become a hotspot of novel coronavirus (SARS-C0V-2) infections among migrant workers in Thailand, the Bangkok Post reported on December 26. Medical personnel on the scene have been treating Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms, while those who are more seriously ill are being sent to fully equipped hospitals to receive utmost care.
The province of Samut Sakhon, southwest of Bangkok, is a major seafood industry processing center. It has now been designated as a maximum control zone with special measures in place to contain the viral pandemic that has been attributed to the deaths of more than 1.77 million people worldwide since the outbreak occurred in China late last year. Thailand has thus far recorded just 60 Covid-19 respiratory disease fatalities, which ranks as one of the lowest per capital mortality rates in the world.
That said, hundreds of factory workers have recently tested positive for Covid-19 in Samut Sakhon, where the public health ministry announced the total count in the province hit nearly 700 early last week.
Barbed wire has since been placed around the Central Shrimp Market to prevent entry, and government authorities have ordered schools in three districts in the capital that have borders with Samut Sakhon (45 kilometers distant), to close until January 4. The province is to remain locked down until at least January 3.
Thai Shrimp Association President Somsak Paneetatyasai said the outbreak was particularly unwelcome news for the seafood sector, as approximately 30% of the nation’s shrimp exports come from Samut Sakhon.
Meanwhile, the Thai Union Group reported last week that one case of Covid-19 infection was confirmed among its many employees in Samut Sakhon.
The Bangkok-headquartered seafood company issued the following statement:
“As of 21 December 2020, all of our factories in Thailand remain open and we are doing everything we can to prevent any temporary shutdown of production lines. However, should the unlikely worst-case scenario happen involving the total shutdown of all Thai Union Samut Sakhon plants for two weeks, this would have an impact of less than 2% of total revenue, and the company already has backup capacity to partially offset that.
“Thai Union is also urging all employees to continue rigorously following all health and safety guidelines from the government, local authorities and their Thai Union team. We have had a screening process in place since much earlier this year for all people coming to our factories for both staff and visitors including the requirement that they wash their hands often, use alcohol hand sanitizer and maintain social distancing.”
