The government on Wednesday reported one new Covid-19 death, lifting the toll to 71, and 59 new cases, 51 local infections and 8 imported cases, raising the total to 12,653.

A spokeswoman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration said the fatality was a 48-year-old Thai woman who drove Myanmar workers at the Saphan Song border checkpoint in Mae Sot district of Tak province.

The woman fell sick on Dec 16 and was diagnosed with tonsillitis. Her condition did not improve and she was diagnosed with Covid-19 on Dec 27. Her condition deteriorated and she died late on Monday night.

Of the 59 new Covid-19 cases, 28 were confirmed at hospitals and 23 through active case finding.

The 28 new cases found at hospitals included 10 in Bangkok, seven in Samut Sakhon and three in Samut Prakan.

Of the 23 new cases found through active testing, 20 were Thais in Samut Sakhon and the three others migrant workers in Bangkok.

Many cases were asymptomatic and had travelled and passed on the virus while being unaware they had it.

Eight imported cases were quarantined arrivals from Ireland, Pakistan, the United States, Malaysia, Japan, India and Germany. They were asymptomatic.

Of the total 12,653 cases, 9,621 (76%) had recovered, including 265 discharged over the previous 24 hours, and 2,961 were receiving treatment, including 10 who were seriously ill.