The provincial communicable disease committee of the southern coastal province of Phang-nga has temporarily but completely locked down the Moken (Morgan) indigenous communities on the Surin islands in the Andaman Sea after 15 people tested positive for COVID-19.
The infections were found during the pro-active screening of about 310 people considered to be at high risk by health officials from Khura Buri district.
The communicable disease committee ordered the Moken communities to be placed under lockdown and all residents to remain in home isolation for 14 days, with local officials deployed to control access into and out of the communities.
On Libong Island in the southern province of Trang, which is a popular tourist destination, health officials have stepped up mass vaccinations of the islanders, especially students, to ensure that 70% of them are inoculated before the reopening of the island to tourists on December 1st.
Meanwhile, in Hat Yai district of Songkhla province, health officials have been conducting COVID-19 tests, with antigen test kits, and providing free vaccinations in preparation for the reopening of the district to tourists in December.
Provincial health officials aim to vaccinate 75% of the population in Songkhla within this month.
Today, the COVID-19 Information Centre reported 7,006 new infections and 29 more deaths in the past 24 hours.
The new infections include 771 cases among prisoners. Cumulative infections, since April 1st this year, stand at 2,035,718 and the death toll is 20,293.
There were 7,591 new recoveries reported today and 87,271 people are still being treated in hospitals.
