Thailand prepares for nationwide lockdown if COVID-19 outbreak worsens
The Thai Government is making preparations to cope with a third-stage outbreak of COVID-19 which would include a countrywide lockdown, according to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
People wear face masks at a shopping centre in Thailand (Photo: VNA)
Bangkok (VNA) – The Thai Government is makingpreparations to cope with a third-stage outbreak of COVID-19 which wouldinclude a countrywide lockdown, according to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
He said on March 18 that Thailand remains at acontrollable stage, but he had already ordered preparations be made to copewith a third stage should it eventuate.
Meanwhile, the country’s army began sprayingroads in Bangkok with disinfectant on March 19 morning to combat the spread ofthe SARS-Cov-2. The daily cleaning is carried out from 1am to 5am until the endof March.
Also on March 18, the Thai Ministry of PublicHealth said 400 beds will be ready in Bangkok hospitals by this week.
Dr Somsak Akhasilp, director-general of theministry’s Department of Medical Services, called on the public not to worryabout a shortage of hospital beds to accommodate virus victims.
He said thanks to strong medical resourcesmanagement, there will be enough beds and sufficient medical treatment for allpatients if the outbreak reaches crisis level.
According to the ministry, "crisislevel" would be reached when the number of COVID-19 cases admitted tohospitals exceeds 1,000 per day. Resources would be sufficient to deal with a"critical-level" outbreak, including the provision of an extra 4,000beds for infected patients.
Thai authorities are working to find space atsports stadiums, apartments and hotels where convalescing patients can be caredfor.
Thailand confirmed 35 additional cases ofCOVID-19 on March 18, raising the total there to 212, including one death./.
Thailand is on course for an economic recession in the first half of this year, with its 2020 GDP being forecast to decrease 0.3 percent from the previous 1.8 percent as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, according to the Siam Commercial Bank’s Economic Intelligence Centre (EIC).
The Thai government has announced that citizens of and those arriving from South Korea, Italy, Iran, as well as China and two of its territories Macau and Hong Kong, are to experience the kingdom’s most stringent screening.
Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) will be providing SIM Cards to travellers from risk countries, allowing them to download the AOT Airports application into their mobile phones, in order to submit compulsory health declarations and enable tracking.
Thailand confirmed 35 additional cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on March 18, raising the total number in the Southeast Asian nation to 212.
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People wear face masks at a shopping centre in Thailand (Photo: VNA) 
