The provincial communicable disease committee has ordered an early end to the annual Red Cross and Winter Fair, which had planned to close on 10th January, after another case of COVID-19 infection was detected.
Governor Charoenrit Sanguansat said the latest infection, the province’s 50th, was a 25-year-old woman who had visited at least five popular entertainment venues, including on New Year’s eve, and many shopping malls in Chiang Mai.
She was confirmed infected with COVID-19 on Monday and quarantined for treatment.
The committee spent several hours discussing the case on Monday. It is feared the woman may have spread the virus to many other people before testing positive. It was still not clear where she was infected in the first place, he said.
The committee agreed that the 5 entertainment venues must close for 3 days and their staff self-isolate for 14 days, to help stop the virus spreading.
All entertainment venues and restaurants must close from 11 pm-5 am.
The committee also resolved to halt the Red Cross fair, effective Monday night.
A source at one of the entertainment venues told Chiang Mai One news that several police officers arrived at 8 pm last night and told the customers to leave the venue. At around 10 pm, more police officers arrived along with a doctor who tested the staff for COVID-19.
At around 11.30 pm staff were told to help clean the venue before going home shortly afterwards.
At 11.50 am this morning the management sent a message to their staff on the Line app informing them that everyone at the venue tested negative for the virus.
The staff were told to self-isolate and they will be tested again tomorrow.
