Thailand is enjoying a day free from new COVID-19 infections or deaths, but the population are being strongly advised to remain vigilant.

CCSA assistant spokesperson Dr. Pannapha Yongtrakul, told a news briefing on Thursday that, despite the lack of new infections today, there is no justification for complacency and we must carry on protecting ourselves with face masks, social distancing and frequent hand cleansing.

To date, Thailand has seen 3,125 COVID-19 cases. Of those, 2,987 patients have recovered, 80 remain in hospital and 58 people have died.

According to the CCSA, all new infections in the past two weeks have been among those in state quarantine, having arrived from abroad.  These include 28 cases from Kuwait, 10 from the United Arab Emirates, seven from Saudi Arabia, three from India and three from Pakistan.

Dr. Pannapha revealed that recent research studies by both Cambridge and Greenwich Universities show that wearing face masks can cut the spread of coronavirus by half, supporting the latest advice from the World Health Organization (WHO), adding that a face shield or mask alone cannot prevent droplets from a sneeze from getting into the body through the eyes, mouth or nose.

Accumulated global infections now exceed 7.45 million, with about 134,000 new cases today. Another 5,200 fatalities have been reported today, bringing total deaths worldwide to over 418,000.

Brazil’s 33,000 new infections today alone has overtaken the 22,000 in the USA.  Thailand ranks 85^th in term of cumulative infections.

Public Health Permanent Secretary Dr. Sukhum Kanchanapimai has advised state hospitals that they no longer need to test for coronavirus in every patient admitted, as we have not seen a single case of locally acquired infection for a fortnight. Hospitals are, however, advised to continue screening those who have been abroad in the last 4 weeks, those categorized as PUI, people requiring dental treatment and patients whom doctors feel should be screened.