New COVID-19 cases in Thailand rose by eight today – all of them are Thais returning from abroad and isolated in state quarantine facilities. No new fatalities were reported.

According to the CCSA, five of the new infections had returned from the United Arab Emirates. All are asymptomatic and tested negative for COVID-19 when they left UAE on June 2nd.  They were tested again in Thailand, with positive results, and are now being treated in hospital.

Two others, both male, arrived from Kuwait on May 24th and were tested on May 2nd, but the results were negative. They retested positive on June 6th and were hospitalized in Samut Prakan province, although they were asymptomatic at the time.

The eighth is a 52-year old Thai man, who arrived from India on Friday with a cough and fever. He was immediately sent to Samut Prakan hospital.

CCSA assistant spokesperson, Dr. Panprapha Yongtrakul, said that there has not been a single case of locally acquired infection for the past 13 days, as she praised the public for their cooperation in helping to prevent the spread of the virus.

Worldwide, cumulative COVID-19 infections are edging closer to the seven million mark, with 6,974,721 cases to date. The global death toll has risen to 402,904 and there have been 3,411,281 recoveries.

Total infections in the United States are 1,988,544 cases as of today, with a 5.64% mortality rate.

In India, which has Asia’s highest accumulated number of infections, more than 10,000 new cases were recorded today, bringing the country’s total to 246,622.

Dr. Panprapha said that the World Health Organization issued a new advisory on Friday, recommending that people wear cloth face masks any time they are outside.

Although there has not been a single new case of locally acquired, or community infection in Thailand for nearly a fortnight, Dr. Pannapha stressed the need for people not to lower their guard, by strictly observing social distancing, wearing face masks while outside, regular washing of hands and avoiding congested areas, noting that the incubation period of the disease is 14 days and the infectious period can be as long as 28.