The need  to wear two face masks appears to become a reality, due to the fast spreading Delta variant, said the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) as Thailand recorded 5,420 new COVID-19 cases and 57 more deaths today (Tuesday).

CCSA Spokesperson Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin said that infections related to the variant, which accounted for 22.5% of all the infections in Bangkok during April and up to June 20^th, have jumped to 52% between June 28^th and July 2^nd, with infections tending to increase.

He said that the meeting at the Ministry of Public Health today discussed the infections related to the Delta, Alpha and Beta variants.

Information to July 2^nd shows the Alpha variant now accounts for 65.1 % of all infections, 32.2% for the Delta variant and 2.6% for the Beta variant, which is still mostly limited to the deep southern provinces, but is spreading to Surat Thani and Chon Buri.

Cumulative infections in Thailand, since early last year, are 294,653, including 65,297 still undergoing treatment in general and field hospitals. There are 2,350 severe cases, of whom 643 cases are on ventilators.

Since February 28^th, a total of 11,058,390 doses of vaccines have been administered, with just over 3 million people having been fully vaccinated.

Dr. Taweesin said, however, that only 0.8% of elderly people and 3.4% of those afflicted with any of the seven underlying diseases have been inoculated so far. He urged their relatives to try to convince them to get vaccinated.

Bangkok today logged 1,492 new COVID-19 cases, followed by 398 cases in Samut Sakhon, 318 in Samut Prakan, 266 in Chon Buri, 262 in Pattani, 242 in Nonthaburi, 208 in Pathum Thani, 206 in Nakhon Pathom, 135 in Yala and 132 cases in Songkhla.

New clusters have been found in Samut Sakhon, Chon Buri, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Tak and in Bangkok, at a hospital in Ratchathewi district. There are currently 116 clusters in the capital under close supervision.