COVID-19: Thailand reports just one new case, no new deaths

Thailand's COVID-19 threat appears to be easing with only one new case and no new deaths reported on Tuesday, bringing the tally of cases to 2,988 and 54 fatalities.

The new case is a 45-year-old Thai man from Narathiwat, southern Thailand who attended a religious ceremony overseas and also had come into close contact with COVID-19 patients.

Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) spokesman Thaweesilp Wissanuyothin said 34 of the 77 provinces in the kingdom have not reported any cases for 28 days or more.

"In the last two weeks, Thailand recorded a total of 174 cases including 60 cases in an immigration detention centre in the southern province of Songkhla, 49 linked to previous confirmed cases, 31 active case finding, 13 in state quarantine facilities after returning from abroad," he said during his daily COVID-19 briefing here today.

When asked about the Visakha Bucha Day (Wesak Day) celebration tomorrow, Thaweesilp said all religious rituals would be banned and devotees advised to pray at home amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Sangha Supreme Council, the governing body of the Buddhist order of Thailand, has instructed all temples nationwide to suspend all religious rituals to avoid gatherings, he said, adding that temples were expected to livestream the religious rituals.

On the relaxation for six types of businesses and activities since Sunday, Thaweesilp said the relevant authorities have conducted thorough checks at 9,383 locations mainly restaurants, food stores and hair salons and found a total of 351 of them failed to meet the health safety guidelines.

Since May 3, six types of businesses and venues - markets, eateries outside shopping malls, wholesale and retail businesses, parks and outdoor sports facilities, barber shops and hair salons (only limited to cut, shampoo and blow), and pet grooming and pet hotels in Thailand have been allowed to reopen.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan o-cha after charing the Cabinet meeting today said the government would evaluate the situation on the first stage of relaxation after 14 days and if the situation is stable, more businesses and activities would be allowed to reopen.

-- BERNAMA