The government on Friday reported five new cases of coronavirus disease, all Thai students returning from Saudi Arabia on the same flight.

Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said the five male students, aged 23-26, arrived on the same flight on June 12 and were quarantined in Bangkok.

They tested positive for the disease on Tuesday, but showed no symptoms.

Dr Taweesilp said that 10 other returnees on the same flight from Saudi Arabia had previously tested positive for Covid-19. There were 195 passengers on the fight.

So far, 274 Thais have returned from Saudi Arabia and 33 of them (12%) were infected with Covid-19. The infection rate was second only to that of returnees from Kuwait (19.5%).

The total number of Covid-19 cases had risen to 3,146, of whom 3,008 had recovered and been discharged. Eighty patients were still in hospitals. The death toll remained unchanged at 58, he said.

Globally, Covid-19 cases rose by 141,744 over the previous 24 hours to 8.58 million, with 456,284 deaths, up by 5,021. About 53% of total cases had recovered.

The United States had the most cases at 2.26 million, up by 29,180, which was the fastest increase, and the most deaths at 120,688, up by 747. Thailand ranked 91st globally.