58 new domestic cases, no countrywide lockdown for now

Of the 58 domestic cases, 55 have been linked to the Samut Sakhon outbreak, one connected to the cluster in Tak province, and two patients who went to a crowded area.

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) will later report about tests on migrant workers.

Meanwhile, the new cases under quarantine comprise three Thais who returned from Myanmar, one from Japan and one from Qatar, as well as an American businessman from the United Arab Emirates and two Americans who travelled from their country.

Separately, an asymptomatic Cambodian woman, 19, was found on December 17 illegally entering the country and was taken for hospital treatment in Chon Buri.

The CCSA has come out with colour coding – red, orange, yellow and green – for each province depending on the number of infections.

Samut Sakhon is presently the only province coded red, which requires the highest level of surveillance. Health officers must take the highest proactive virus search while migrants have been ordered to stay in one particular area. Residents need to wear a face mask all the time in all areas and follow health guidelines, including installing the MorChana app, a more advanced version of the ThaiChana application. The province has also set up many checkpoints. High-risk venues including entertainment ones and schools have been closed. The fishery business can still operate, but under Public Health Ministry guidelines. Factories and offices can stay open but the work-from-home option is recommended.

The provinces coded orange – which signify more than 10 cases – presently consist of Bangkok, Ratchaburi, Samut Songkhram and Nakhon Pathom. These provinces are on full alert for any new infections.

The yellow-coded, or moderate-risk, provinces which have less than 10 patients are Saraburi, Samut Prakan, Suphan Buri, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Uttaradit. Chachoengsao, Kamphaeng Phet, Phetchabun, Ayutthaya, Phuket, Phetchaburi, Nakhon Ratchasima, Prachin Buri, Krabi, Khon Kaen, Chainat, Udon Thani, Phichit, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Sawan and Angthong.

Provinces coded green are ones where there are no Covid-19 cases.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and CCSA executive said before a brief conference that the current Covid-19 situation in the country is different from the one abroad, according to DDC reports.

He thanked all staff and the people for having patience and making sacrifices so Thailand could succeed in overcoming the virus, just as it did earlier this year.

Prayut said he regretted that the New Year festival, a time when everyone is happy, will now see restrictions on celebrations to keep the virus from spreading.

Another critical issue is that foreign workers who are spread across the country need to be taken care of, he said, adding that he didn’t blame illegal workers since it was their employers who brought them in so they could pay low wages. They did not follow the labour law and should be ashamed of themselves, Prayut said.

He added that the Cabinet would next week discuss a solution to register more labour workers to meet demand.

Meanwhile, 21 patients have recovered and been discharged in the past 24 hours.

As of Thursday afternoon, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand has increased to 5,829 (1,402 in state quarantine and 1,273 from active case findings). Of these, 1,653 are in hospital and ad-hoc quarantine facilities and 4,116 have recovered and been discharged. The death toll remains at 60.

According to Worldometer, as of 10am the number of confirmed global cases has increased to 79.05 million (rising by 683,008). Of these, 55.62 million have recovered, 21.67 million are active cases (106,569 in severe condition) and 1.74 million have died (an increase of 13,423).

Thailand ranks 143rd for most cases in the world, while the US has the most number, with 18.91 million, followed by India 10.12 million, Brazil 7.37 million, Russia 2.93 million and France 2.5 million.