Health officials across the island began mass tests of migrant workers at worker’s camps and workplaces on Monday, PPHO Chief Dr Thanit Sermkaew confirmed at the press conference last night (Dec 22),
“There have been no COVID-19 infected people found,” he said.
So far 56 workers have been found to have recently returned from high-risk areas, Dr Thanit noted.
The 56 workers had returned from Samut Sakhon province after Dec 1.
“We will look into these cases with deeper investigation. We are waiting for their COVID-19 test results, which should be available on Dec 23 [today],” he said.
According to a report posted by the PPHO, in total so far 7,426 people at 134 camps in Phuket were checked for COVID-19 on Monday and Tuesday (Dec 21-22), as follows:
- 3,164 people at 39 camps in Mueang District checked, 13 people were considered as high-risk
- 919 people at 17 camps in Kathu District checked, 14 people were considered as high-risk
- 3,343 people at 58 camps in Thalang District checked, 29 people people were considered as high-risk
In announcing the crackdown in checking Myanmar nationals arriving back in Phuket earlier this month, Phuket Vice Governor Phichet Panaphong confirmed, “Phuket has about 59,000 migrant workers, especially Myanmar nationals, which comprise about 80% of all the migrant workers in the province.”
As of last year, the estimated population of the Phuket City Municipality area was just over 79,000.
Pascale | 26 December 2020 - 14:38:42