100+ medical staff infected by patients
More than 100 medical staff at many state hospitals have been forced into self-quarantine after patients failed to disclose they had been in contact with infected people.
Khon Kaen Hospital yesterday ordered 105 medical staff to quarantine immediately.
“These personnel have been in contact with Covid-19 patients, so they are now treated as a high-risk group and need to go into a 14-day quarantine,” said Dr Nataya Mills, director of Khon Kaen Hospital.
The hospital had been forced to stop receiving referred cases and also to temporarily close two medical wards and one paediatric ward, she said.
Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital, which is located on Royal Thai Air Force premises in Bangkok, announced it would stop receiving any new Covid cases from today until April 30 after medical personnel came into contact with Covid-19 patients. The hospital did not, however, say how many staff had been placed at risk.
Samut Prakan Hospital said on Facebook that two doctors, nine nurses and six others had been forced to self-isolate after a patient failed to provide information about having come into contact with an infected patient.
A spokesman said the situation has adversely affected medical services and warned patients not to withhold information, which is useful for their treatment and the protection of others.
The hospital also warned it would take legal action against any patients who refused to provide full details of their contacts with Covid-19 infected people, an offence that carries a maximum fine of 20,000 baht.
Samut Prakran yesterday reported 40 new Covid-19 cases, 27 local ones — 21 in Muang district and six in Bang Phli district — and 13 which originated in other provinces.
In Narathiwat, Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra Hospital reported that six medical staff had contracted Covid-19 from patients who failed to give clear information about their previous contacts.
The hospital said the infected medical staff had been admitted to a special ward, while those at risk had been quarantined for 14 days and would be tested. The facility has also been disinfected.
The hospital has strongly urged people to strictly follow “DMHTT” guidelines (Distancing, Mask-wearing, Hand-washing, Temperature-taking/ testing and using the Thaichana app to record their whereabouts) to help curb the spread of the virus.
In Ratchaburi, Photharam Hospital also carried out a thorough cleaning and announced a brief closure of its emergency department, plus an indefinite closure of its dental, physical therapy and Thai traditional medicine departments, after finding that six medical staff had contracted Covid-19.
Many hospitals are accepting donations of money, equipment and supplies such as personal protective equipment (PPE) suits, face masks and gloves, to support the cost of coping with the pandemic. Vajira Hospital is among those calling for food donations to support medical staff.
Some have published their bank details for donations, including Thammasat University Hospital, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Siriraj Hospital, Rajavithi Hospital, Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai (aka Suan Dok) Hospital and the non-profit Ramathibodi Foundation.