Mahidol, Chula cases halt classes

Chulalongkorn and Mahidol universities, each with a confirmed case of Covid-19 infection, began suspending classes yesterday while Kasetsart University took the same action as a precautionary measure.

Chulalongkorn announced that a staff member at the university’s Faculty of Law was confirmed infected with Covid-19 on Sunday and was being treated at Ramathibodi Hospital.

Voraphol Malsukhum, a lecturer with the faculty, yesterday wrote a letter to confirm he had the virus and to apologise to anyone affected. He said he had not travelled abroad recently.

He said a mild sore throat last Wednesday prompted him to see a doctor, who prescribed antibiotics, but by Thursday evening he was suffering fever and fatigue. He stayed home on Friday, before a raging fever prompted a visit to a second hospital on Saturday. Finding no trace of other diseases, doctors had him take a test for Covid-19, which came back positive. A second test a Ramathibodi Hospital confirmed the infection, prompting the faculty to suspend all classes until Sunday while its buildings are sprayed with disinfectant.

Those who were in close contact with Mr Voraphol are being screened for the Covid-19 infection.

Mahidol, meanwhile, shut down its Salaya campus in Nakhon Pathom after a student there was confirmed to have contracted the deadly virus.

The shutdown will last until Friday, during which time the university will screen people who were in close contact with the infected student, who is studying at the College of Sports Science and Technology. It will also disinfect the campus.