THE Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s (CCSA’s) spokesman Dr. Taweesilp Visanuyothin said this afternoon (May 21) that many workers at a camp in Laksi district of Bangkok have contracted coronavirus with 15 of them infected with the Indian strain, Thai Rath newspaper said.
He also stated that CCSA’s Management Committee agreed to extend the state of emergency nationwide by another two months from June 1, 2021 to July 31, 2021 during a video conference presided over by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha this morning.
That the extension was made is because thousands of cases are appearing each day in the ongoing wave of infection that started on April 1.
CCSA’s decision will be tabled to the Cabinet for consideration before publication in the Government Gazette for this extension to come into effect.
Dr Taweesilp mentioned that 15 workers infected with the B.1.617.2 Indian strain have been hospitalised and are being taken care of. An investigation team has also gone to the camp to control and prevent the spread of this strain.
He added that the Indian variant is spreading very quickly and has already reached several countries with the Public Health Ministry to reveal details of these 15 cases later in the day.
According to an Indian Express report, B.1.617 is the technical name of the variant first reported in India. It has three sub-lineages 1, 2 and 3 and B.1.617.2 has been designated a variant of concern in UK.
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Top: An artist’s rendering of coronavirus spreading in Bangkok. Image: Thai Rath
Home Page: An empty road in Bangkok during curfew. Photo: Thai Rath
