The Department of Disease Control (DDC), Ministry of Public Health, confirmed the new so-called “Indian” variant, or B.1.617.2 variant, was discovered among 15 construction workers and their family members in the Lak Si district of Bangkok today, May 21st. Pattaya News

Thailand's Department of Disease Control confirms discovery of B.1.617.2 Covid-19 variant in construction workers in Bangkok

Friday, 21 May 2021, 16:25

Bangkok –

The Department of Disease Control (DDC), Ministry of Public Health, confirmed the new so-called "Indian" variant, or B.1.617.2 variant, was discovered among 15 construction workers and their family members in the Lak Si district of Bangkok today, May 21st.

The infected, 7 men and 8 women, were reported with mild symptoms and were treated at a local hospital. 12 of them were construction workers while the other three cases were their close-contact family members, Director-General Opas Karnkawinpong said.

The DDC is currently undertaking a disease investigation and conducting a proactive approach of all colleagues working and staying at the construction sites as well as all of their family members and their close contacts to prevent the spread of the variant.

Dr. Opas also stated that, according to Public Health England, the B.1.617.2 Covid-19 variant does not spread faster than the UK variant. It has also not yet been confirmed whether the B.1.617.2 variant would lead to more severity of the cases but the variant does not have vaccine resistance, especially against AstraZeneca, Thailand's main vaccine.