BANGKOK, Aug 17 (TNA) — Eighty-three days without local infection of the coronavirus disease 2019 does not guarantee that Thailand is free of the disease, said the director-general of the Disease Control Department.
Dr Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai said that the period without local infection had nothing to do with the risks of the second spread that came from business lockdown easing and the arrivals of Thai and foreign people including migrant workers.
The risks existed in other countries that faced the second spread of COVID-19 after their long periods of no local infection. He cited Vietnam, South Korea, Japan and New Zealand.
Dr Suwannachai said officials did not intend to maintain the zero local infection period but wanted to detect patients quickly, efficiently treat them and limit the degree of the spread within the capacities of public health resources.
The Public Health Ministry would keep the spread at the extent which would allow the survival of the national economy, he said. (TNA)
