COVID-19 infections in Thailand are steadily increasing, with the number of new suspected cases being investigated averaging 300-400 a day, said public health permanent secretary-general Dr. Sukhum Kanchanapimai at a news conference today (Friday).

He warned all Thai workers returning from South Korea, except those working in the cities of Daegu, the centre of COVID-19 outbreak in the country, and in the northern Gyeongsang province, to comply strictly with the 14-day self-quarantine measure, otherwise they will be sent to state facilities for confinement.

To ensure strict compliance, he made clear that the returnees from South Korea will not be allowed to confine themselves at home, but at locations in the vicinity of their homes and under the supervision of health volunteers and local officials.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 infections in Thailand rose by 2 today, bringing the total to 48, with 31 having fully recovered and 16 still in hospital, plus one fatality.

One of the two new cases is a British consultant, who came from Britain and made a stopover in Hong Kong in transit to Bangkok.  He went to a private hospital with a fever and runny nose on March 3^rd and was subsequently sent to Bamrasnaradura Infectious Disease Institute for treatment after testing positive for the virus.

The second case is a Thai woman, working illegally in South Korea, who had a fever upon her arrival at Suvarnabhumi airport yesterday.  She was also sent to the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Disease Institute for treatment after she was confirmed to be infected.

About 60 people, who were in close contact with a virus-infected Thai student returning from Iran, have been located and invited to Tha Sala District Hospital in Thailand’s southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat for 14 days observation.

The student was found to be infected with coronavirus on March 5^th.