Zero new COVID-19 deaths or infections reported in Thailand
An aerial picture taken on May 12, 2020 shows a face mask placed on the face of a giant Buddha statue at Wat Nithet Rat Pradit temple in Pathum Thani outside Bangkok, as the country deals with the COVID-19 novel coronavirus situation.
For the first time since January 13th, when Thailand recorded its first COVID-19 case, no new infections or fatalities have been reported in the country today (Wednesday).
“Today, there are no new infections. (I wish) to express my delight with all of us for our joint efforts in the past days. This makes us proud that unity has made this figure a reality, thanks to all of us,” said a smiling CCSA spokesman Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin before noon today.
He attributed the achievement to the declaration of a national state of emergency on April 3rd, followed by the imposition of a night curfew the following day.
He said, however, that the easing of lockdown measures on May 3rd had caused initial concerns that the relaxation might lead to an increase in new infections.
Over the past 10 days, he said the spread of COVID-19 has been slowing steadily, with the exception of May 4th, when new infections jumped to 18, all among illegal immigrants at a detention centre in Sadao district of the southern province of Songkhla.
On the same day, Dr. Taweesin pointed out, there were no new infections reported elsewhere in Thailand.
He urged the Thai public not to become complacent and to view the improving situation cautiously, noting that there are still risk factors to watch in the next two weeks, citing the people in state quarantine, in detention centres and the Active Case Finding campaign, currently being carried out by health officials at the community level.
“You can feel relieved, but not complacent,” he said, adding that a single day without a new infection does not guarantee that Thailand is ready for people to resume normal life.
Cumulative infections, to date, remain at 3,017 while recoveries have increased by 46 to 2,844 today. 117 are still at hospital and death toll remains at 56.
50 provinces have reported zero new infections for the past 28 days or more, while new infections have been reported in the other provinces in the same period.
Dr. Taweesin explained that, since May 1st, the COVID-19 test protocol has been revised to allow people who lose their sense of smell or taste to get tested.
34,444 tests have been conducted to date. Up to May 11th, 90 people in state quarantine have tested positive, with 63% of them having arrived from Indonesia.
