Thailand’s government yesterday held off from ordering new nationwide business shutdowns amid a new wave of COVID-19 cases, but empowered some provincial governors to set their own restrictions and pleaded with the public not to travel.
Thailand, which had largely controlled the virus by the middle of last year, saw a second wave of outbreaks beginning last month.
It confirmed 315 new cases yesterday, the majority of which are from local transmission, bringing its total to 7,694 cases and 64 deaths.
Photo: AFP
The country yesterday also reported its first known case of a more contagious variant of the coronavirus called B.1.1.7, Yong Poovorawan, a senior virologist at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, said in a post on Facebook.
The variant was found in a family of four who were in quarantine after arriving in Thailand from the UK, and Yong said there is no risk of that variant being spread in Thailand.
The current domestic outbreak is linked to illegal border migration from Myanmar.
The government COVID-19 taskforce had earlier designated 28 provinces, including Bangkok, as high risk zones and recommended suspension of some businesses and crowded activities in those area that pose infection risks to the public.
The measures, which still need final approval from Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, would empower provincial governors to suspend businesses and other activities if there is a risk of infection, Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman for Thailand’s COVID-19 taskforce said.
“We are asking people for cooperation first. We know that tough measures are needed but that could also lead to losses in other areas so we need to have compromises and have reasonable measures put in place,” Taweesin said, adding that the government is also concerned about the economic costs of more restrictions.
Some ministries and agencies have already issued new restrictions in their areas.
The Thai Ministry of Education has ordered all public and private schools and vocational training centers to close down from Monday until end of this month.
The Thai Retailers Association has also announced that all shopping malls around the country should close at 9pm daily, an hour earlier than the usual closing time, a statement said.
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