Daily infections and deaths reach new high on Saturday at 10,082 infections and 141 deaths
A new lockdown threatens Thailand – as early as next week, the Covid-19 Management Center may consider closing the kingdom’s borders.
According to local media reports, the centre is going to study the proposals of the Ministry of Health to stop the spread of Covid-19, including a new block. At the same time, Secretary-General of the National Security Council Nattapon Nakpanich explained that there are currently no official proposals to introduce a lockdown, but if they are made, the Center will consider such an opportunity.
However, as the head of the centre added, “the government is looking for less destructive measures to combat Covid-19.” The experts add that last year’s isolation already cost Thailand 300 billion baht, but then the people and the country were in a much better economic condition. At the moment, people simply ran out of savings, and the “closure” could turn into a social explosion.
Thailand banned public gatherings due to rising COVID-19 cases
The Thai authorities have introduced a nationwide ban on public gatherings and are considering the possibility of introducing additional restrictions on movement in connection with the increase in cases of COVID-19 infection and deaths.
On Saturday, the country’s medical authorities announced a record daily increase in the incidence – 10,082 new cases were recorded, 141 people died from coronavirus-related diseases.
The maximum penalty for violating the ban on public gatherings is two years in prison or a fine of up to 40,000 baht ($ 1.22,000), or in some cases both.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha said the government is considering additional restrictions as the country grapples with its worst coronavirus outbreak since the start of the pandemic. “It is necessary to expand measures to limit the movement of people as much as possible and to close more facilities, leaving only the essentials,” the prime minister said on his official Facebook page on Friday.
Due to the difficult epidemiological situation and the lack of hospital beds, the country’s authorities began planning to introduce new restrictions to combat the virus in early July.
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