Thailand recorded 985 new COVID-19 cases today (Monday), as the surge in daily new infections appears to be slowing, said Disease Control Department Director-General Dr. Opas Karnkavinpong today.

He also pointed out that the third wave of infections differs from the first two waves because, this time, the disease is more widespread among young working people and college students and that, in Green zones, the carriers of the virus are mostly from a different province while, in the Yellow zones, the infections are mostly within families.

In the Orange zones, Dr. Opas said that the infections are cluster-related and fewer than 50 whereas, in the Red zones, cluster-related infections involve more than 100 people.

Citing the case of the northern province of Chiang Mai, he said most of those infected are college students because, currently, their institutions are closed and they are engaged in more extra-curricular activities or tend to gather in groups at entertainment outlets.

In the southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan, where 52 new cases were recorded in the past 24 hours, he said the outbreak originated from a nightspot where one man contracted the disease and infected others in his family.

Dr. Opas appealed to those who went to an entertainment venue and became infected to be honest with health officials about their movements, to assist in tracing those at high risk and in containing the spread of the disease.

Of the new cases today, 980 were locally acquired, including 634 among those under observation and treatment and 346 cases found during active screening. There were 5 imported cases in state quarantine.

Meanwhile, Dr. Somsak Akkasilp, director-general of the Medical Services Department, reassured the public that treatment of COVID-19 infection at public and private hospitals is free of charge.

He said that, outside Bangkok, there are now a total of 20,000 beds available  to accommodate COVID patients in hospitals while, in Bangkok, there are still about 2,000 vacant hospital beds.

There are also about 3,000 beds at field hospitals in Bangkok and another 3,900 beds in private hospitals or hotels, which have been modified into hospitals.