Two local infections and four entrants from Myanmar were among 19 new Covid-19 cases reported on Saturday, bringing the total to 4,072.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) categorised the new cases into three groups — local infections (2), arrivals screened upon entry and in quarantine (13), and other arrivals (4).
The local cases were a 50-year-old Thai woman from Sing Buri province and a 30-year-old Thai man from Chiang Rai. They are being treated at public hospitals.
The woman, who worked as a hired hand, met a previously confirmed case last Saturday. On Thursday, she tested positive with a fever and muscle pain and received treatment at Sing Buri hospital.
The man had gone to to Chiang Rai and stayed there from Nov 26-29. On Friday, he tested positive with a runny nose and a headache.
Of the four arrivals from Myanmar, three were Thai returnees who had worked at an entertainment venue in Tachilek and sneaked into the country. The 1G1 hotel and casino complex in the town opposite Mae Sai in Chiang Rai has now been linked to at least 15 cases, including people who became infected at the hotel and people who were exposed to them.
The fourth arrival from Myanmar was a Myanmar national who came to Thailand for a physical checkup.
The two women, both 25, crossed the border via a natural pass last Saturday. On Thursday, one of them tested positive with a fever, phlegm, a runny nose and loss of her sense of smell. The other tested positive on Saturday with a fever and muscle pain.
The man, 32, sneaked into the country via a natural pass on Nov 14. On Thursday, he tested positive and lost his sense of smell.
The Myanmar man, 43, who was self-employed, travelled to Mae Sot Hospital in Tak province for a checkup on Thursday and tested positive on the same day. He was asymptomatic and stayed at Mae Sot Hospital, said the CCSA.
The quarantined arrivals consisted of 13 people, nine of whom were Thais. They came from Malaysia (1), India 1), Sweden (1), the United Kingdom (1), the United States (3), Switzerland (2), the Netherlands (1), Mexico (1) and Myanmar (2). Eight showed no symptoms.
Of the 4,072 people diagnosed with Covid-19, 3,848 (94.5%) have recovered including nine discharged from hospitals over the past 24 hours, and 164 people remain in hospitals. The death toll remains at 60.
Global Covid-19 cases rose by 684,085 over the previous 24 hours to 66.22 million. The worldwide death toll soared by 12,121 to 1.52 million.
The US had the most cases at 14.77 million, up by 235,272, followed by India with 9.60 up 36,638. Thailand ranked 151st.