Thailand’s Public Health Ministry has announced a major drop in the country’s daily Covid-19 case load today (Sunday). The registered 6,094 cases within the past 24 hours are the fewest the country has seen since January 6. Yesterday, a total of 70,775 people were receiving Covid-19 treatment, including 25,527 in hospitals.
Out of the 25,527 people being hospitalised, 1,304 were seriously ill with lung inflammation, and 643 were dependent on ventilators. Out of the 6,094 cases in the past 24 hours, only 2 came from outside Thailand, from Australia and Taiwan. The Public Health Ministry said this morning there were 51 Covid-19 related deaths in the past 24 hours.
This year, Thailand has been slowly but surely returning to ‘normal’ or ‘pre-Covid’ lifestyle. Entry restrictions on travellers have now eased, with Test & Go finally being scrapped. The country’s alcohol curfew has been pushed from 11pm to midnight, while police plan to discuss easing nightlife restrictions even more.
Last week, Thailand’s PM Prayut ordered all provincial administrations to prepare for Covid-19 being declared endemic, by creating operation plans for their own provinces. Thailand’s deputy public health minister said in a speech earlier this month that, if Covid-19 is declared an endemic, mask-wearing rules might ease depending on the Covid-19 situation in each area.
For the most part, however, it still remains unclear what exactly ‘endemic’ status means, and no precise date has been listed for when Thailand will declare Covid-19 an endemic. As of now, no dates have been given for the dropping of the Thailand Pass either.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post