THAILAND PROPOSES TOUGHER MEASURES TO CURB LATEST OUTBREAK

2 JAN 2021

BANGKOK: Thai health authorities have proposed tougher restrictions on businesses and inter-provincial travel in 28 of its 76 provinces including Bangkok as a new wave of infections continues to contribute to three-digit daily cases in the country.

Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) spokesman Thaweesilp Wissanuyothin said the measures include the closure of businesses and venues of high risk and limiting operating hours of businesses at highly-controlled areas (provinces) where more than 50 COVID-19 cases have been reported since the latest outbreak.

Besides that, the people were advised to work from home and avoid unnecessary travel out of their provinces in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19, he added.

“These measures are proposed to take effect from Monday (Jan 4) to Feb 1,” he said at a press conference here, Saturday.

He added that the proposed measures were awaiting Prime Minister Prayuth Chan o-cha’s approval.

Over the last 24 hours, Thailand recorded 216 new COVID-19 cases and one death, bringing the total number of cases to 7,379 and 64 fatalities.

The single fatality involved a 47-year-old woman who had underlying health conditions and a history of visiting a gambling den in Chonburi province. She was tested positive for COVID-19 on Dec 30 and died in hospital.

Thaweesilp said of the 216 new cases, 182 were local transmissions, 32 were detected at migrant dormitories and two found at alternative state quarantine facilities.

“The latest outbreak since mid-December has spread to 53 of 76 provinces in the kingdom.

“The new round of outbreak is harder to contain… new clusters in Bangkok and Rayong are spreading to many areas while there are new cases that authorities are investigating for source of infections,” he said. -Bernama