Existing measures 'adequate' to battle rising Covid toll

Existing measures 'adequate' to battle rising Covid toll

A health official takes a swab from a woman, for testing for Covid-19, at a health centre in Pathumwan district of Bangkok on Thursday. The capital has by far the largest number of new cases and deaths in the third Covid-19 wave. (Photo: Somchai Poomlard)
A health official takes a swab from a woman, for testing for Covid-19, at a health centre in Pathumwan district of Bangkok on Thursday. The capital has by far the largest number of new cases and deaths in the third Covid-19 wave. (Photo: Somchai Poomlard)

The government will not impose additional restrictions to curb the surge in Covid-19, even though the death toll and infection rate are increasing daily, the chief of the Covid operations centre said on Friday.

Existing measures are adequate for the government to handle the situation, Gen Natthapol Nakpanich said.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration was in close contact with the Public Health Ministry on how to best handle the rapid spread of the disease.

Gen Natthaphol, who runs day-to-day CCSA operations, said speeding up the rate of vaccinations and strict enforcement of the existing regulations, for both people and businesses, was needed.

"There will be no need for more restrictions because we do not want to increase the burden on the people," he said before a CCSA meeting.

The National Security Council chief admitted he was worried about the virus figures, which continue to climb throughout the country.

The daily number of fatalities has risen to a new new record high on three consecutive days, from 53 reported on Wednesday to 57 on Thursday and now 61 on Friday.

There were also 6,087 new infections reported on Friday, up from 5,533 on Thursday and 4,786 on Wednesday.

The CCSA operations commander said on Wednesday a fourth wave was possible due to the highly contagious nature of the Delta variant of the virus, which was first found in India and has now spread in Thailand.

Construction sites and workers' camps have been closed and dining-in banned at restaurants in Greater Bangkok and restrictions introduced on travel, for a month, since Monday.

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