In its worst outbreak so far, Thailand reported 15 new COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday (April 27), setting a new daily record for the third time in four days.
According to Nikkei Asia, half of the country’s 59,687 cases were reported this April alone, as well as 69 of its 163 total deaths.
On Saturday (April 25), Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha said more than 1,400 covid-19 patients are waiting to be admitted to hospitals, according to VOA.
In order to free up more hospital beds, he said: “If the outbreak becomes more severe, [the government] may consider reducing hospital quarantine for asymptomatic people from 14 days to 10 days.”
In a Facebook post, Thiravat Hemachudha, head of the Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Centre, wrote that more testing is needed: “If we are not screening people who can quietly spread the virus, there will be subsequent outbreaks and mutations, rendering immunization ineffective.”
Thailand, which has a population of 66.1 million, has tightened restrictions in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19. The government has restricted travel from India, and ordered parks, gyms, movie theaters, and daycare centers in Bangkok, the epicenter of the outbreak, to close from April 26 to May 9, according to Reuters.
However, malls and restaurants are still allowed to operate, although with early closing times, prompting concerns of virus transmission and infection clusters.
The country also set a fine of up to 20,000 baht ($635) for not wearing masks in public. The prime minister himself was fined 6,000 baht ($190) for violating this rule.
On Monday (April 26), 2,048 new cases were reported, 901 of which were in Bangkok. The country has logged 57,508 total infections and 148 deaths since the start of the pandemic in 2020. – jlo
