The outbreak began in the shrimp market in the heart of Bangkok’s southwestern Samut Sakho and a seafood industry, home to thousands of migrant workers.
“Today is just the first phase. Further results will show a lot of infections,” the ministry’s permanent secretary Kiatifum Wongrajit told a news conference.
About 40,000 people will be tested in Samut Sakhon and nearby provinces, he said, adding that more than 10,000 tests will be conducted by Wednesday.
Most of the migrant workers from Myanmar were in line for testing on Sunday with some plates. Most of the cases identified so far have been asymptomatic, health officials said.
Barbed wire besieged the market on Sunday as authorities in Bangkok ordered all schools in the capital’s three districts that have a border, 45 kilometers (miles0 miles) away by road, to be closed until January.
The province will remain under lockdown and nighttime curfew until Jan. 3, and Kiatifm said the ministry expects the situation to be brought under control in two to four weeks.
‘We have to cut the epidemic’
Prime Minister Pruth Chan-ocha posted on his Facebook account: “We have to cut the epidemic quickly. We already have the experience to deal with it.”
Officials in Bangkok have called for increased preventive measures to prevent people from gathering, while social distances between entertainment venues and restaurants should be observed.
Organizers of the New Year’s celebrations were asked to seek official approval to proceed, while companies were requested to bring staff working from home if possible.
Neighboring Cambodia meanwhile tightened the requirements for people entering the country from Thailand.
Somasak Panityasai, president of the Thai Shrimp Association, said the outbreak was bad news for shrimp exports, with 30% coming from Samut Sakhon. Thailand is one of the 10 largest shrimp exporters in the world.
Coronavirus cases have risen sharply as Thailand seeks to revive the tourism industry devastated by the epidemic. On Thursday, Thailand eased restrictions to allow more foreign tourists to return.
Additional reporting by CNN’s Kocha Olleren and Amrut Gan.
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