BANGKOK, March 19 (TNA) – An impact of Covid-19 on
people’s lives will last for at least one year, says a Thai government
spokeswoman as the country reports the largest daily jump of new cases.
The government’s special taskforce on Covid-19 held a media
briefing on Thursday to reiterate its efforts to slow down the outbreak with
new measures announced earlier this week.
Minister Attached to the Prime Minister’s Office Tewan
Liptapantop said the government needed cooperation from the public in carrying
the measures including social distancing and self-isolation.
He said the order to close educational institutions,
entertainment and sport venues and other public gatherings in Bangkok and surrounding
provinces from March 18 to March 31 was deemed appropriate.
Government Spokeswoman Naruemon Pinyosinwat said Prime
Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha met with a team of leading medical experts again on
Thursday to assess the situation and the progress of disease control efforts.
“Thailand’s
population will face the impact of the coronavirus for at least a year, it is
the time to unite, not pointing fingers and we will go through it together,”
she said.
Also on Thursday, the Ministry of Public Health reported 60
new Covid-19 cases, the largest daily jump so far in Thailand.
The majority of the new confirmed cases are linked to the
two major clusters of infection found earlier; boxing stadiums and nightlife
venues in Bangkok, officials said.
Seventeen of them are Thai nationals returning from Taiwan,
Italy, the United Kingdom, India, Malaysia, Cambodia, Japan, Iran and Germany,
said Dr. Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai, Director-general of the Disease
Control Department.
Covid-19 cases in Thailand have now accumulated to 272 with
229 active cases and one death. (TNA)
