37 new prisoners in Chiang Mai test positive for Covid-19
As many as 37 new arrivals at the Chiang Mai Central prison in Mae Taeng district tested positive for Covid-19, provincial public health office chief Dr Jatuchai Maneerat said on Thursday.
“We test new inmates after they have been monitored for symptoms during a 14-day quarantine and then sent to the inner zone,” he said. “All infected prisoners are separated and sent to a field hospital within the prison.
“Their treatment is closely supervised by the Chiang Mai public health office, which is also urging other prisons in the province, namely the Chiang Mai Women Correctional Institution in Muang district and Fang District Prison, to follow the protocol strictly to prevent the spread of Covid-19 among prisoners and staff,” he added.
Jatuchai said the public health office has tested 500 staff of the Chiang Mai Wing Division 41 in Muang district, and another seven personnel tested positive, bringing the total number of cases in this cluster to 60.
“We believe the numbers should not rise any further because it has been more than 14 days since the first infection was reported,” he said.
Jatuchai added that Chiang Mai has about 16,000 tablets of favipiravir in stock, which should be enough to treat Covid-19 patients in the province.
From April 1 to 22 Chiang Mai has reported 2,448 cumulative confirmed patients, while 134 persons have been cured and discharged.
