COVID: THAILAND RECORDS 930 NEW CASES, ONE MORE DEATH

30 JAN 2021

BANGKOK: Thailand recorded 930 new COVID-19 cases and one more death over the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of infections in the kingdom to 17,953 and 77 fatalities.

Its Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) assistant spokesman Dr Panprapa Yongtrakul said the single fatality involved a 31-year-old Myanmar labourer in Samut Sakhon province. who had underlying health conditions.

Of the 930 new cases, Dr Panprapa said 916 were local transmissions, including 889 found through active case detection of which 865 were in Samut Sakhon, Samut Prakan (18), Maha Sarakham (four), Bangkok and Rayong one each, while 27 were from those seeking treatment at hospitals.

She added that 14 of the new cases were imported cases, including three involving Thais who entered the kingdom from Malaysia.

“To date, a total of 6,371 patients are still receiving treatment at hospitals and various facilities, including field hospitals,” she said at the daily COVID-19 briefing here today.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister, Prayuth Chan o-cha urged the public to continue to follow health safety protocols to halt the spread of COVID-19 following easing of restrictions, including reopening of educational institutions in Bangkok and 27 provinces, starting Monday (February 1).

“Businesses will be allowed to restart so people's lives can return to normal… Businesses that are permitted to resume must be extra careful. It is everyone's responsibility,” he was quoted as saying by the Bangkok Post.

Prayuth said the CCSA would continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation in the country on a daily basis to effectively to curb the spread of the disease.

Yesterday, the CCSA had approved relaxation of measures and designation of areas in five levels, namely maximum and strict control; highly-controlled; controlled; maximum surveillance; and surveillance, effective Monday.

Samut Sakhon, a province where the current outbreak began in mid-December, remain as a “maximum and strict control area” with all restrictions remaining in place. - Bernama