Health officials announced three more COVID-19 infections Thursday, marking another day of few detected cases as Thailand weighs further lifting restrictions on movement and commerce.
Two of the detected infections involved people who had returned from abroad, according to COVID-19 task force spokesman Taweesilp Wissanuyothin. Giving the day’s update, which raised the total known infections to 2,992 since the outbreak began, Taweesilp said no new cases had been detected in a number of provinces including Chiang Mai, Phitsanulok, Lampang and Chaiyaphum. The death toll remained at 55.
If positive trends continue, he said, the next phase of relaxing restrictions could begin May 17. They are eyeing large retailers and department stores for possible reopening.
Testing remains limited nationwide, with officials saying they have no plans to pursue mass testing of the population. Still, the daily number of detected cases peaked at 143 in late March before trailing off into the single digits by late April.
Speaking two days after commuters returning to work were greeted by potentially risky overcrowding on the broken-down BTS Skytrain, Taweesilp added that the government has ordered its operator to decrease congestion.
This is a developing story and may be updated without notice.
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