Four Bangkok parties infect nearly 40 people: CCSA

The first celebration involved 30 attendees, of whom nine tested positive, while 10 were confirmed negative because they only arrived to deliver presents and left. The remaining 11 are under surveillance in quarantine facilities.

Investigators learned that the nine had been infected because they were sharing glasses in a drinking game, had stayed at the party for a long time, used their fingers to consume food and pick up ice and were all drunk.

The second party had 13 attendees, 10 of whom tested positive. The virus was transmitted for the same reasons – sharing glasses, spending too long together, picking food with fingers and getting drunk.

The third party had seven people attending and they were all infected. The party was held in a badly ventilated room and partygoers shared glasses and danced close to each other without masks.

All 13 attendees of the fourth party tested positive and once again the reason was sharing glasses and staying in the same place for too long.

Dr Apisamai said that despite efforts to maintain control measures, such as social-distancing, masks and using separate utensils, booze remained the key factor in infections.

Citing the World Health Organisation’s health standards, she said after two glasses of booze people start relaxing, feeling sleepy, have a low response to the environment and lose their inhibitions. These are the four key reasons why CCSA has banned the serving of alcohol in public places.