Samples taken from Covid-19 patients in southern Thailand are being tested to check for the highly-contagious, so-called South African variant. Supphakit Siriluck from the Medical Science Department says so far, the variant has only been present in Narathiwat province, but samples from sufferers in Songkhla and Phatthalung are also being analysed.
Supphakit says that in the intervening time, the world is worried about 5 completely different strains, named after the location where they have been first reported. They are the British, South African, Brazilian, Indian, and Californian variants. Supphakit factors out that Thailand has limited data on these variants and should do every thing to forestall them entering or spreading within the Kingdom.
Straightforward provides that the South African, or B.1.351 variant, was first detected in Narathiwat on the weekend, after illegal immigrants within the Tak Bai district were found to be carrying it. What was three cases has now turn out to be eight, following the analysis of extra samples.
“This variant was solely present in Tak Bai. The department has asked for extra samples (from Covid-19 patients) in the Hat Yai district of Songkhla, and Phatthalung, to verify for the variant. This variant is rather more highly effective than the British and Indian variants, because it has a stronger effect on the physique and prior immunity from Covid-19 is not going to protect us towards this variant. I am very worried that the vaccine won’t have the power to help.”
The Bangkok Post stories that 36 out of 62 infections reported at a construction camp in the Laksi district of the capital have been confirmed because the Indian variant.
Meanwhile, Supphakit says officials are checking all arrivals in state quarantine for newly-imported variants.
“Its first point of entry is likely to be in state quarantine so we try to investigate this group.”