A SHRIMP vendor in Samut Sakhon province who tested positive for Covid-19 today (Dec.17) first showed symptoms of the disease last Sunday Dec. 13 but continued trading in the market with there being 18 people at high risk of exposure to the deadly disease and numerous others at the market may have also been so, Sanook.com reported.
Samut Sakhon Governor Weerasak Wichitsangsri along with the provincial health doctor revealed the 67-year-old infected Thai woman’s timeline of activities over the past few days as follows:
December 13
– Onset of aches and pain with loss of smell;
December 16
– At 6 p.m.: Went to an outpatient department of a private hospital for treatment. Samples were collected for Covid-19 test. Patient returned home to await the result;
– At 10 p.m.: Alarm raised after positive result for Covid-19 came in;
December 17
– At 2:30 a.m.: The patient quarantined at Samut Sakhon Hospital;
– At 8 a.m.: Test result sent to the Medical Science Centre 5 in this province for confirmation of infection with outcome verifying it.
This shrimp vendor traded at the market everyday from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. Those who had close contact with her here are her first son, a 39-year-old male employee, two Myanmar male employees 40 and 48 years old respectively, and some of them are being tracked down to come in for Covid-19 test.
Two family members who had close contact with her, that is her second son and his friend, have tested negative for coronavirus.
Other family members, including the patient’s bedridden mother, brother, sister-in-law, eldest sister and housewife have been quarantined at home as test results are awaited.
Altogether there are 18 people at high risk of contracting this disease through exposure to this patient and among them are family members, those who worked with her and medical staff. Ten of them have been tested and received negative results, six are waiting for their result and two are being tracked down.
Several others who could have been exposed to this patient, among them are shoppers and other traders and vendors, are being tested with this market closed for thorough cleaning for three days.
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Top: Shrimp being sold at a market. Thai headline says, “health check for those close to her.” Photo: Sanook.com
