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Four more COVID cases in Phuket, order to close businesses re-issued

Four more COVID cases in Phuket, order to close businesses re-issued

PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Health officials have just announced that four new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Phuket, bringing the official total number of people in Phuket confirmed as infected with the virus since the outbreak began to 17.

COVID-19Coronavirushealthtourism
By The Phuket News

Monday 23 March 2020 02:11 PM


Four more COVID-19 cases were announced today (Mar 23). Image: PR Phuket

Four more COVID-19 cases were announced today (Mar 23). Image: PR Phuket

According to the table released this morning, health officials have checked 1,245,538 people at the airport and a further 38,327 checked at “other ports”.

So far 612 people have been put under observation for possible infection of the virus, said the table. Of these were four “new cases”.

Of the 612, 569 “Persons Under Investigation” (PUI) had been checked and gone home. The remaining 41 remain in hospital under observation

Of those 41 still in hospital, 26 are waiting for test results to confirm whether they have COVID-19.

Meanwhile, officials are inspecting a variety of locations for a “field hospital” to be set up in case the number of people in Phuket infected with the virus skyrockets.

Vachira Phuket Hospital Director Dr Chalermpong Sukontapol has been tasked with considering what options are available Vachira Hospital, and to consider alternatives, including the Phuket Provincial Hospital (often just called the “OrBorJor Hospital”).

Today, Dr Dr Chalermpong is inspecting the incomplete new Provincial Hall sitting empty on the south side of Phuket Town.

Vachira Hospital is now not allowing any visits to patients to help prevent the spread of the disease.

Meanwhile, Phuket officials on Friday ordered for all fighting cock and fish venues and water parks to be closed until further notice.

The order also covers six types of venues and shops to be closed until Mar 31, including spas and massage shops, fitness centres and gyms, Thai boxing and martial arts schools, indoor and outdoor kid’s playgrounds, markets and weekend markets, and gaming and Internet shops.

Loch Palm Golf Course has also closed temporarily to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The closure follows Bangkok officials ordering all golf courses in its area of jurisdiction closed on Saturday (Mar 21).