A senior doctor at the Disease Control Department (DCD) has expressed serious concern over the risk of a further spread of COVID-19, due to infections among Thais returning from high-risk countries, such as the United States, France and Spain.

Dr. Anupong Suchariyakul, a DCD expert, said today that, in a group of 59 new confirmed coronavirus cases, 21 were those arriving in Thailand from high-risk countries.

Parents of about 200 Thai high-school students, in the USA under the American Field Service exchange programme, have demanded that the Thai Government help arrange their return.

Two more new cases are linked to the boxing stadium and 10 others are associated with entertainment venues.

The country’s death toll from the contagion has increased by 2 to 9 since yesterday.  One was a 54-year old man, in the southern border province of Yala, who had recently returned from Malaysia. Another is a 56-year old woman who went to a private hospital in Bangkok for treatment and was found to be suffering with a serious lung infection.

The number of critical cases has increased to 23, from last week’s 17, while 16 more have recovered and returned home.  A total of 1,388 are still in hospital.

Among the 1,524 confirmed cases, 21 are medical personnel.

Dr. Anupong also warned against the use of public transport, saying that the commuters must wear face masks at all times or, preferably, stay at home.