NAKHON RATCHASIMA: Health officials in all 32 districts of this northeastern province have been asked to keep a close watch on gatherings and parties in their communities to prevent the emergence of more clusters of coronavirus infections.
The country’s second most populous province on Saturday reported 102 new infections — 94 originating in the province and 8 from outside — along with one death from Covid-19.
The new infections brought the provincial total to 30,484, of whom 28,461 have recovered, and 232 fatalities. The latest death was a 57-year-old woman in Muang district who had been in contact with a previously confirmed case, the provincial communicable disease control panel said.
Provincial authorities have sped up the pace of vaccinations, with 1.35 million people aged 18 and up, or 63.1% of those eligible, having received their first jab. A total of 1.1 million people (51.6%) have received their second shot and 97,224 people (4.5%) have had a third.
Among young people aged 12 to 18, 120,585 (81.6%) have received their first shot and 62,109 (42%) have received the second shot.
Authorities are keeping a close watch on seven clusters of infections: Muang district police station (24 infected officers and 21 infected family members); a construction workers’ camp of Wityotha Co in Chalerm Phrakiat district (9 infected Cambodian workers); Srithai Superware factory in Muang district (302 infected workers and three children); Khok Phet community in Muang district (85 cases); Leather Industries factory in Sung Noen district (20 cases); a family at Pakham village in Phra Thong Kham district (6 cases); and a social event in Pak Chong district (10 cases).
As well, the number of infections at the Central Nakhon Ratchasima Prison and the Nakhon Ratchasima Women’s Correctional Institute has now risen to 716, said the panel.