Omicron variant infections in Thailand increased by 194 yesterday (Wednesday), to 934.

Dr. Supakit Sirilak, director-general of the Medical Sciences Department, said today (Thursday) that the new cases include 88 foreign arrivals and that the rest are locally-acquired infections.

He noted that locally-transmitted cases will have a tendency to spike faster than cases involving travellers from abroad, as arrivals are slowing.

He also said that the Omicron variant has now spread through all 13 Area Health zones in Thailand.

Area Health zones constitute the administrative structure of the Ministry of Public Health, which groups 4-8 provinces, with populations between 3 and 6 million, into one Area Health zone.

Meanwhile, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul sent an urgent letter today to the Public Health Permanent Secretary, instructing him to order all public health agencies to comply strictly with measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Omicron variant in particular, and to encourage the unvaccinated to get inoculated quickly.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Interior ordered the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and provincial governors nationwide to urge businesses to follow the COVID free setting measure strictly during the long New Year break and implored members of the public to avoid visiting crowded areas.