For the fourth day this month, Thailand recorded no new COVID-19 infections or coronavirus related fatalities.
CCSA assistant spokesperson Dr. Panprapha Yongtrakul said at a news briefing that zero daily new infections in May were recorded on the 13th, 16th, 22nd and the 24th.
“Today, we have good news for every one of us. The new infection rate is zero. It is the result of our good conduct in the past two weeks, by wearing face masks, hand washing with sanitizer gel and social distancing,” she said, as she emphasized the need to protect oneself in order not to infect the other family members, especially the elderly.
Accumulated infections in Thailand to date total 3,040. The death toll remains at 56, with no new fatalities for the past several days. A total of 2,921 patients have recovered, with 63 others still in hospital.
Bangkok has the highest infection rate at 1,532. This is followed by Phuket with 226, Nonthaburi with 158, Yala with 125, Samut Prakan with 115, Chon Buri, 86 cases, Pattani, 79 cases, Songkhla, 44 cases, (excluding 19 cases in quarantine and 65 cases in an immigration detention centre), Chiang Mai, 41 cases, and Pathum Thani, 39 cases, with 27 cases in other provinces.
Regarding vaccine trials, Dr. Panprapha said that China has conducted the first stage of vaccine trials on 108 healthy adults and the results were positive after 28 days, adding that assessment of the trials will take about six months.
The World Health Organization, she said, has now declared South American to be the new epicentre of infections, with Brazil now ranked second, after the United States, with almost 350,000 confirmed cases.
The WHO said, however, that the actual infections in Brazil might be higher because Brazil has not carried out widespread testing.
Moreover, she said Brazil has approved the use of the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, General Somsak Rungsita, secretary-general of the National Security Council, said that lockdown restrictions will be eased further from June 1st.
He said that restrictions on high-risk business activities will be eased in the third phase of relaxation, without going into details, but added that the ad hoc committee, set up to consider the relaxation of lockdown measures, will consider on Wednesday whether to shorten the curfew to midnight until 4am or 11 pm until 3am.
