Border Crossing in Southern Thailand Closed Over Covod-19 Fears

The Governor of Songkhla in Southern Thailand has ordered the closure of the Padang Besar border checkpoint due to new Covid-19 Fears. The border closure comes after six of nine new covid-19 patients returned via this checkpoint.

Governor Charuwat Kliengklao signed the order, saying the checkpoint will be closed from today for sterilization.

The order did not say how long the checkpoint will remain closed. However, it said Thais who want to return home can enter via the Sadao border checkpoint.

Meanwhile, the Royal Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia also ordered the closure of its border checkpoint at the Padang Besar border checkpoint until Saturday.

Malaysia will reopen this checkpoint to allow Thais to return home on Sunday. The embassy said Thais who have registered to return home from today until Saturday via Padang Besar do not need to re-register.

It said returnees can use the same travel documents to return home via the Sadao border checkpoint from Sunday.

The country recorded nine new cases of Covid-19 in southern Thailand on Wednesday.Raising the total to 3,054. The death toll remained at 57.

Southern Thailand hospital uses plasma for Covid-19

Meanwhile, Songkhla Nagarind Hospital in Southern Thailand has successfully used plasma from a recovered Covid-19 patient to treat patients with critical symptoms of the disease.

The cured patient was sent back home on 19 May, said Sarunyou Chusri, infectious disease specialist at the Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkhla University.

The Covid-19 patient treated with donated plasma was sent from Narathiwat province.

The patient displayed symptoms including decreased blood oxygen saturation, low heart rate and respiratory failure. Endotracheal intubation was performed, along with treatment of using plasma donated by the recovered Covid-19 patient. The patient had recovered through standard hospital treatment, he said.

The medical team injected 200cc of plasma twice, and after three to four days. The patient’s respiratory function and heart rate improved, while inflammation decreased.

The viral load in the patient’s pharynx was also below measurable levels. Pneumonia symptoms in the patient have eased, and the patient could be taken off a ventilator, said Dr Sarunyou.

Source: Bangkok Post