Thailand identifies more virus cases & restricts travel

Wednesday, January 6, 2021

Around 527 new coronavirus cases have been reported in Thailand. Majority of them were migrant workers who were isolated and the government have explained it was restricting the movements of common people around the country.

With sudden rise in virus infection, Thailand has been fighting hard after experiencing months of zero cases of domestic transmission. Field hospitals were being built in five provinces with many cases.

Greater section of the country, along with Bangkok, are under lockdown and the government stated that it will limit travel between virus-hit provinces to goods, cargo and necessary travel as added precautionary measures, and set up checkpoints on some roads.

Of the new confirmed cases that were disclosed on Tuesday, almost 439 were migrants, 82 were local transmissions and six were in quarantined travelers, the Center of COVID-19 Situation Administration have reported. The total was a drop from the 745 registered Monday, the all-time high in Thailand. Outside China, this was the first case of virus that was detected on January 2020.

Samut Sakhon province experienced majority of the rise in cases last month among migrant workers living in dormitories and fish market and factory workers. A field hospital close to the market is treating the migrants infected with virus.

Even though it has called of al public activities as well as gatherings and closed down all schools, bars and other places where people generally assemble, the government has not yet adopted stringent steps that it imposed in March — when it successfully stamped out local transmission. Malls and department stores remain open and indoor dining at restaurants is allowed until 9 p.m.

To quote the PM, Prayuth Chan-ocha, “We don’t want to lock down the entire country because we know what the problems are, so can you all lock down yourselves?” he said. “This is up to everyone, if you don’t want to get infected just stay home for 14 to 15 days.”

The government also has been scrambling to acquire more vaccines after an initial period of complacency.

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