Report Says Samut Sakhon Virus Surge Exceeds 1,000 Cases

People line up for coronavirus tests in Samut Sakhon province on Dec. 22, 2020.

BANGKOK — At least 242 more people tested positive for coronavirus in Samut Sakhon province, a statement released by health officials said Tuesday morning.

The province’s case number now exceeds 1,000 since its first infection was confirmed on Thursday. The 242 new cases were found among the 1,063 people who were given coronavirus tests by local health workers, the statement said.

It added that 6,156 people were tested so far since the outbreak became apparent over the weekend.

The government’s coronavirus response center is scheduled to make an official news conference on the matter later today.

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Officials have said that almost all of the new patients found in recent days are migrant workers in the seafood industry in Samut Sakhon, about 34 kilometers southwest of Bangkok.

Most foreign workers in Samut Sakhon are from neighboring Myanmar, which has seen a surge in coronavirus cases that began in August. All migrant workers are now banned from leaving or entering Samut Sakhon, and dorm buildings where the workers live are sealed off by security officers.

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The government said in a statement, written in Thai and Burmese, that the migrant workers in Samut Sakhon should stay put where they are, and they will receive food and water throughout the 14 days of quarantine. There will be no legal repercussion against them, the statement said.