PHUKET, 6 July 2021: Phuket is on the alert after a passenger on a Thai Smile flight from Suvarnabhumi on 1 July was found to be infected with Covid-19, Thailand’s National News Bureau reported Monday.
Passengers onboard flight WE201, which left Suvarnabhumi international airport at 0704 last Thursday, have been told to report to their nearest hospital or health office for COVID-19 testing.
In a follow-up alert made public on Facebook, Monday, the airline called for passengers seating in E28 and F28 to report to the nearest hospital for testing.
Meanwhile, Phuket News reported that Vietjet Air confirmed a passenger travelling on the same route earlier last week had also tested positive for Covid-19. At the weekend, the airline appealed to passengers sitting near the infected passenger (seat 3C) to come forward and seek testing at the nearest government hospital. The Phuket Covid-19 Information Centre identified the traveller after they were tested on landing at Phuket airport.
The plane has since been deep cleaned and disinfected. Flight crew, cabin crew, and even ground staff that may have come into proximity with flight 314 have now been quarantined.
Provincial authorities released details of the Phuket Sandbox performance for the first four days, 1 to 4 July on Monday. It showed 1755 passengers arrived during the first four days on six airlines. (THAI, Emirates, El Al, Etihad,Qatar and Singapore Airlines.)
Of the 1755 passengers, 1626 tested negative for Covid-19 and 129 (day 4 arrivals) were waiting for their test results when the chart was compiled. Airport data also showed that during the four days, two Thai passengers travelling from Bangkok to Phuket tested positive. No foreign travellers tested positive from 1 to 4 July. The chart also showed SHA+ hotels recorded 100,732 rooms nights pre-booked with 92,926 booked in July, 6,225 in August and 345 in September.
(Source: Thailand PR Department Phuket Facebook Page)
