It is not an easy task to fight the pandemic among migrant workers who barely understand Thai. The language barrier can hinder care for the infected while preventing others from learning how to avoid infection.

Samut Sakhon Hospital director Anukul Thaithanan said the province is classified as a dark red zone which means the maximum and strict control area with a high rate of infection -- the highest in the country so far. A majority of cases in the province during the new wave of the disease are migrant workers.

With mild symptoms or no symptoms at all, the infected migrant workers are quarantined at field hospitals in the province. There are nine hospitals in total with one being set up.

Interpreters in demand

The field hospitals in Samut Sakhon have 700 beds for Covid-19 patients, all migrant workers who cannot understand Thai, Dr Anukul said. A team of migrant volunteers who can speak Thai has been formed to interpret for the patients and Thai health care personnel at the hospitals, he said.

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