Thailand’s COVID-19 infections, since the arrival of the virus in the country on January 13th, 2020, reached 3,004,814 today (Saturday), as a senior doctor predicted that daily infections may exceed 100,000 when people return to work, after the long Songkran break in April, if they lower their guard.

According to the COVID-19 Information Centre, 22,818 new cases, diagnosed by RT-PCR tests, have been reported in the past 24 hours, bringing total infections this year to 781,379.

The death toll in Thailand, since the virus was first identified in the country, is 23,176. 232,147 people are still undergoing treatment, including 1,124 cases with of lung infections, 355 of whom are on ventilators. There were 52 more COVID related deaths today.

Meanwhile, Dr. Sophon Iamsirithavorn, deputy director-general of the Disease Control Department, said that daily COVID-19 infections in Thailand may double and the death toll may rise to 250 a day after the Songkran break, in a worst case scenario.

He said also said that the Omicron variant has spread very rapidly, increasing infections to an average of 22,000 a day for the past two weeks. The number of serious cases, such as lung infections requiring hospitalisation, has increased 1.5 times in the same period.

People with comorbidities, the elderly and the unvaccinated remain at the greatest risk, said Dr. Sophon, as he urged the elderly to get vaccinated before the Songkran holidays, when young people traditionally pay respects to their elders.