Bangkok COVID-19 outbreak may take two months to contain

COVID-19 testing in Thailand (Photo: Reuters)

Bangkok (VNA) – It may take competent authorities in Bangkok more than two months to control a coronavirus outbreak in this capital city, permanent secretary of Thai Health Ministry Kiatiphum Wongrajit said on April 8.

Authorities expect to put the outbreak under control in one or two months in other localities, but it will likely take longer in Bangkok, the epicentre, said Kiatiphum.

The main source of the infections is in Bangkok’s entertainment zone, which could take longer to contain, depending on measures, he said in a statement.

According to the COVID-19 taskforce, nightspots in Bangkok and 40 provinces, including pubs and karaoke parlours, would be closed for two weeks to curb the COVID-19 spread.

Thailand reported 405 new COVID-19 cases on April 8, the highest in the past two months. Total infections in the nation stood at 30,310.

Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the month-long fasting of Ramadan. (Photo: Reuters)

The same day, Indonesian Ministry of Transportation announced an internal travel ban during Eid al-Fitr celebrations in an effort to prevent large-scale transmission of the coronavirus.

The May 6-17 halt on sea, land, air and rail travel adds to a ban announced last month by Indonesia on the mass exodus tradition, locally known as “mudik”, where people head en masse to their home provinces.
 
Eid al-Fitr, also called the “Festival of Breaking the Fast”, is a religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of the month-long fasting of Ramadan. This year, it falls on May 13-14.

Indonesia documented additional 5,504 COVID-19 cases on April 8, bringing the nation’s tally to more than 1.55 million. As many as 42,227 people have died from the virus. The pandemic has spread to all the 34 provinces in the country./.

VNA