Amid rising Covid-19 cases, Prachuap Khiri Khan prison in Thailand prepares to establish an emergency operations centre (EOC) to manage infection clusters. This follows 79 confirmed cases, prompting intensified surveillance and testing.
The situation unfolded when a female inmate showed Covid symptoms upon admission to Prachuap Khiri Khan Hospital on March 27, leading to the discovery of the first infection. Subsequently, mass testing revealed 70 positive cases among inmates and nine among prison officials.
Meanwhile, Thailand grapples with a surge in Covid cases, recording 630 new infections and five deaths from March 17 to March 23. Dr Yong Poovorawan predicts a summer decline in infections, but warns of a potential resurgence in June, driven by the JN.1 sub-variant of the Omicron strain.
Dr Yong advises individuals to undergo Covid tests upon experiencing respiratory symptoms and to isolate if they have a severe cough or fever. Despite recovery, he recommends wearing face masks for five days and maintaining good hygiene practices.