Narathiwat provincial authorities have ordered the closure of public places and villages in five districts, in an intensifying effort to control the spread of COVID-19, as another eight cases of the coronavirus variant, first detected in South Africa, were confirmed yesterday in Tak Bai district.
Narathiwat Governor Jesada Jitrat issued the orders after the discovery of the mutated strain on Sunday, citing the COVID-19 Network Investigation Alliance’s (CONI) findings, which said three samples from Tak Bai were linked to the variant first detected in South Africa.
He said this B.1.351 variant was imported by those illegally entering the country via natural border crossings. As of yesterday, the number of infections in the province, linked to the Koh Sathon cluster, stood at 83.
The discovery has put authorities in the province on high alert. The closure orders affect Tak Bai, Sungai Padi, Sukhirin, Bacho and Muang districts. In Tak Bai, nine villages in Tambon Koh Sathon have been closed off since May 8th and the closures have now been extended. (NNT)
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