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The cluster of Covid-19 infections at the CalComp electrical parts factory in Phetchaburi has spread to cases in 11 other provinces and led to more than 4,900 coronavirus cases, the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said on Wednesday.
“The cluster has reported 438 new cases in past 24 hours,” said Apisamai Srirangsan, the CCSA’s deputy spokeswoman.
The new case brought the cluster’s total up to 4,914 cases.
The cluster pushed Phetchaburi’s confirmed cases in the third wave to 6,361 cases, ranking at the fourth most infected province after Bangkok (43,117), Samut Prakan (7,738) and Nonthaburi (6,979) respectively.
The third wave, which started at entertainment venues in Bangkok and surrounding provinces since April 1, has spread to all 77 provinces of Thailand and has led to 136,599 cases and 1,013 deaths so far.
Most of the clusters reported over the past month were found at construction worker camps, markets, shopping centres, crowded communities and residential areas in Bangkok.
Of the 48 currently active clusters in Bangkok, 15 were found in worker camps, 14 around markets and shopping centres, 10 in crowded communities and residential areas, six at businesses and factories, two at care homes and one at an unnamed embassy.
Most of the clusters outside Bangkok were found at factories and warehouses.
In Samut Prakan, a sauce factory has reported 38 new cases in past 24 hours and another 74 new cases were reported at an ice factory.
Another 176 Covid-19 cases were found at a factory of Sri Trang Gloves Thailand and surrounding communities, bringing the Trang cluster to 476 cases. A cluster at a chicken factory in Saraburi had reported 481 as of Wednesday.
Samut Sakhon also found a new cluster at a children products factory which led to 42 cases so far.
Of the 2,338 local cases (excluding the 1,087 cases in 13 prisons and 15 imported cases) that were reported in the past 24 hours, the highest numbers by province were 680 in Bangkok followed by 466 in Samut Prakan, 449 in Phetchaburi, 176 in Trang and 78 in Samut Sakhon.
Apisamai said pro-active tests are still ongoing at all of these clusters. She said there are now 10 provinces which have a cluster that is related to an outbreak at a factory.
In total, there are 63,029 registered factories with 3.47 million workers around the country.
The outbreak at factories are mostly due to crowded conditions in workers’ residential areas and the use of shared facilities, she added.
Apisamai said factories should adhere to the government’s Good Factory Practice guideline to prevent any further out break at factories. If a factory has reported a cluster, they will have to adhere to the “bubble & seal” strategy which involves restricting workers from leaving the factory area.
Factories that have reported cases have been warned they face punishment if they fail to follow the government’s guidelines, she added. She did not say what such punishment would be.