COVID-19: Thailand’s caseload exceeds 2 million, Laos posts highest daily cases

People register to receive COVID-19 vaccine shots in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 1, 2021. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

Hanoi – Thailand’s total number of COVID-19 infections surpassed 2 million on November 12, while Laos confirmed 1,198 new cases, the highest daily rise so far.

With 7,305 new cases and 51 deaths recorded in the past 24 hours, the total numbers of COVID-19 infections and deaths in Thailand stood at 2,004,274 and 19,934, respectively, according to the Health Ministry. As many as 1,888,536 people has to date recovered.

Meanwhile, Spokesman of the Thai Government Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said the nation will achieve its goal of injecting 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines by the end of November, a month earlier than planned. As of November 11, Thailand has injected 82,217,981 doses of the vaccines, of which there were 44,777,147 first doses; 35,758,836 second doses; 2,678,171 third doses; and 3,827 fourth doses.

In a related movement, Spokesperson of Thailand’s Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) Taweesilp Visanuyothin said the CCSA meeting chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha decided to defer by another month a plan to allow pubs, bars and karaokes to reopen on December 1. The new tentative reopening date was set for January 16 and only for some areas, depending on the COVID-19 situation.

In Laos, COVID-19 infections have spread to 17 out of its 18 provinces and cities. The capital city of Vientiane continued to be the epicenter of the epidemic with 579 community infections on the day, ranking first nationwide.

Phongsaly province recorded a soar in its number of daily cases to 168, while Houaphanh province posted its first community case.

Also on November 12, Cambodia logged 63 new cases of COVID-19, the lowest since the beginning of October, and six deaths.

The Cambodian Ministry of Tourism has informed all capital and provincial governors about the preparation for and implementation of tourism safety rules and minimum standard operating procedures for the reopening of karaoke bars and nightclubs after November 30.