Latest COVID-19 wave in Thailand ‘likely caused by Cambodia strain’
Dr Yong Poovorawan. The Nation/Asia News Network
BANGKOK — Chulalongkorn University virology specialist Dr Yong Poovorawan said on Saturday that the strain of Covid-19 recently found in Thailand among visitors to entertainment venues in Bangkok has the spike pattern that matches perfectly with the Cambodia strain.
“The latest strain found in Thailand does not match 100 per cent with the British or other strains, but displays a 100 percent match with the Cambodia strain,” he said in his Facebook post.
“The Cambodia strain had been found spreading in Cambodia about six weeks before it was detected in Thailand.
“From this data, it is conclusive that the latest wave at entertainment venues is related to the Cambodia strain of the virus,” added Yong.
Yong had said on Friday that it was unlikely that the strain had been brought in by people coming via official channels because everybody is tested and quarantined for 14 days, but it could be from migrant workers or Thais sneaking across the border who may have been carriers of this strain, which is 1.7 times more infectious.
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