Thailand today recorded two new COVID-19 cases among people in state quarantine.
According to the CCSA, the first case is a 22-year old Thai male student, who arrived from Indonesia on August 20th and entered state quarantine in Chon Buri. He tested positive on September 1st.
The second is a 23-year old Thai woman, who returned to Thailand from the United States on August 21st and entered state quarantine in Bangkok. She also tested positive on September 1st.
Cumulative infections in Thailand, to date, are 3,427, with 3,277 recoveries and 92 others are still being treated in hospital. The death toll remains at 58.
Professor Dr. Yong Poovorawan said in his Facebook post on Thursday that the virus which causes COVID-19 is here to stay, adding that the most important challenge is to find a cure, to reduce the severity of the infections and prevent deaths.
Citing the Spanish flu pandemic, about 100 years ago, he said that the virus was not as widespread as COVID-19 because the world’s population was relatively less congested or mobile. It took about two years for that pandemic to subside and the Spanish flu has now transformed into seasonal flu.
For COVID-19, a respected virologist at Chulalongkorn University said that, without an effective vaccine, the pandemic may last two years. He is optimistic, however, there will be at least six vaccines available by the end of this year.
Dr. Yong predicted that, by the year end, worldwide infections will surpass the 50 million mark and the death toll will have exceeded one million, noting that new infections have increased by one million in just four days.
