By Linda Khoo
BANGKOK, May 13 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Thailand on Tuesday reported zero new COVID-19 cases and fatalities for the first time since March 9, with total cases remaining at 3,017 with 56 fatalities as was reported for Monday.
Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) spokesman Thaweesilp Wissanuyothin said to date, a total of 2,844 patients have recovered and discharged from hospitals while 117 remain at wards.
“It is a relief but there is no reason to be complacent. We must continue to adhere to all necessary measures including wearing face masks, practice good hygiene and continue to observe social distancing,” he said in his daily COVID-19 briefing here today.
Thaweesilp said the implementation of curfew from 10 pm to 4 am since April 3 is one of the factors that contributed to the decline of new cases.
Thailand recorded single-digit daily new cases since May 3, except for 18 cases on May 4 involving the same number of detainees at an immigration detention centre in the southern province of Songkhla.
A total of nine out of 77 provinces in Thailand remain free from COVID-19 while another 50 recorded no new cases for at least 28 days.
Thailand plans to reopen more businesses and activities in its second phase of easing restriction this Sunday. Among businesses and venues that are expected to reopen include shopping malls (excluding those with theatres, bowling alleys and amulet shops), restaurants and food courts in buildings, retail and wholesale shops.
Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan o-cha will chair on Friday a meeting to finalise the businesses and venues which will be reopened.
On May 3, six types of businesses and venues nationwide have been reopened with guidelines to avoid a second wave of COVID-19 infection.They are markets, eateries outside shopping malls, wholesale and retail businesses, parks and outdoor sports facilities, barbershops and hair salons (limited to cut, shampoo and blow) and pet grooming and pet hotels.