COVID-19: Thailand reports 8 new cases including five at detention centre

Thailand today reported eight new COVID-19 cases including five immigrants who had been detained at an immigration detention centre, bringing the tally to 3,000 cases and 55 fatalities since the outbreak in January. There were no fatalities reported for the day.

Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) spokesman Thaweesilp Wissanuyothin said the five female migrants, aged between 19 and 30, were held at the Sadao Immigration Detention Centre in southern Songkhla province. To date, a total of 65 detainees including two Malaysians at the detention centre were infected with COVID-19 in the last two weeks.

He said of the eight new cases, three aged between 45 and 51, were from the southern province of Yala with the trio having close contact with previous confirmed patients returning from Malaysia.

"Nine of 77 provinces in Thailand remain free from COVID-19 while 43 provinces witnessed no new cases in the last 28 days. Bangkok has recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases with 1,699 followed by 716 in the South, Central (380), Northeast (111) and North (94).

"The biggest age group is between 20 and 29 in which a total of 766 people were infected with the deadly virus," he said at COVID-19 daily briefing here today.

Thaweesilp said at present, five airlines are operating at 18 airports nationwide from 7 am to 7 pm to avoid passengers traveling during curfew hours (10 pm to 4 am).

"At the moment, there is still a ban on international passenger flights," he said.

Last month, Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) extended the ban on international passenger arrivals to the kingdom to May 31.

Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary of Transport Ministry Chaiwat Thong-Kamkoon said inter-provincial bus operations have been reduced to only 203 routes in 20 provinces.

For rail services, he said, the State Railway of Thailand has reduced the number of services from 500 to 43 services daily with distance not more than 300 km.

On large crowds at the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) railway stations in Bangkok, Chaiwat said it is due to operators limiting the number of passengers in the trains to observe social distancing and reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister General Chan o-cha hoped more businesses and venues would reopen in the second phase in which restrictions would be further eased on May 17.

"If the first phase that started on May 3 goes on well as planned, the second phase will start on May 17... resumption of activities will be in stages and gradually done," he said.

-- BERNAMA