Testing drive through in Thailand as virus surges

Thailand's Health Ministry warned Sunday that restrictions may need to be tightened to slow the spread of a fresh coronavirus wave, as the country hit a daily record of new cases.

Authorities in Bangkok have set up mass testing sites in some neighborhoods, drawing large crowds of people who often had to wait hours in line.

Thais were queuing patiently in Nonthaburi, on the outskirts of the capital on Saturday, to be tested in a drive through, as the vaccination roll out doesn't seem to be curbing the number of infections.

The ministry confirmed 967 new infections, the highest ever in a 24-hour period, bringing Thailand's total to 32,625 cases since January last year — including 97 deaths.

The expanding outbreak comes after the country kept the virus largely in check for most of last year.

If the number of cases is still rising in two weeks, measures beyond the current restrictions on nightlife and longstanding social distancing rules will need to be put in place, said Dr. Sophon Iamsirithaworn, deputy director general of the Department of Disease Control.

Most of the recent cases have been traced to an outbreak that originated last month at several nightlife entertainment venues in Bangkok, Sophon said. He said people should be working from home and exercise vigilance.

Tests among those infected at the Bangkok nightspots found some patients infected with the variant first detected in Britain, which has been found to be more infectious than the original strain.