71 New Cases of COVID-19 in Thailand

The Kingdom has logged 71 new cases of infection of the novel coronavirus or the COVID-19. As of Monday, the total number of cases in Thailand since the beginning of the pandemic has hit 26,441 and a death toll of 85.

According to the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration, 48 of the new cases were local infections. The rest of the day’s tally is made up of 23 cases imported from abroad.

Furthermore, the CCSA said that only seven cases were found through case-finding in communities throughout the Kingdom. 41 cases were reported by hospitals who admitted the patients.

31 of the 41 infections reported by hospitals were logged by hospitals in the province of Samut Sakhon, where the second wave of infections began in late December. Other provinces logged cases as follows: Prachin Buri with 3 cases, Tak with two cases, and Bangkok and Pathum Thani with one case each.

Six of the seven cases found through local case finding were found in Samut Sakhon as well. The last case unearthed through case finding was in Pathum Thani.

For the 23 imported infections, 10 were from the United Emirates, 4 from the United Kingdom, 2 each from the United States and Bahrain, and one case each from Italy, Pakistan, Lebanon and Zambia.

With the Songkran Festival taking place next month, the national government of Thailand is set to convene next week in order to discuss several relevant issues, said Dr. Apisamai Srirangsan.

Dr. Apisamai, who is an assistant spokesperson for the CCSA, the Cabinet is meeting next week to possibly discuss the following items on their supposed agenda:

• Guidelines for Songkran, with the intention of striking a balance between safety from the COVID-19 and the ability of Thais nationwide to celebrate the traditional holiday with their families. Songkran is Thailand’s largest and liveliest holiday, with foreigners even coming to join in the revelries of the water festival in pre-COVID times. The Festival is set for April 10 to April 15.
• The possible replacement of the Emergency Decree that was declared last year in response to the spreading virus with the Communicable Disease Act. Lawmakers have said that the addition of several amendments has strengthened and extended the jurisdiction of the law.
• The status of several provinces in terms of colors and codes with relation to the COVID-19 situation. The Cabinet will be discussing the status of each province in terms of public health and disease control, and could update the status of each province by April 1st.

• Revisions to the length of quarantine that is mandated for tourists, with respect to foreigners who have already been vaccinated in their home country. The government is reportedly planning to shorten quarantine lengths from Summer until October, after which it will possibly drop quarantine for vaccinated tourists.

The government is currently reviewing each of these proposals in preparation for the official Cabinet meeting next week. The government, through the CCSA, will be providing updates next week on the actual agenda and what the Cabinet has decided.

Source:
ThePattayaNews
BangkokPost