76,000 Infected and 40 Dead in One Week... COVID-19 Crisis Escalates in Thailand

A Total of 476,584 New Cases This Year
Infections Rise for 24 Consecutive Weeks... Recent Surge Accelerates

COVID-19 infections have been spreading rapidly in Thailand recently, prompting health authorities to issue an emergency response.

On June 17, local media outlets Bangkok Post and The Nation, citing a report from the Department of Disease Control (DDC), reported that "from June 8 to 14, a total of 76,161 new COVID-19 cases were reported nationwide, with 40 deaths."

Visitors wearing masks at the Emerald Buddha Temple in Bangkok. Photo by EPA Yonhap News.

Of the new patients, 72,166 were hospitalized, while 3,995 received outpatient treatment. By region, Bangkok, the capital, recorded the highest number of infections during this period, with 17,945 cases. The number of COVID-19 patients in Thailand has increased for 24 consecutive weeks, with a sharper rise observed recently.

Since the beginning of this year, the number of deaths caused by COVID-19 stood at 114 as of early June. However, within just one week, this number jumped to 154. The total number of new confirmed cases this year has grown to 476,584.

Health authorities have urged the public to strictly adhere to preventive measures, including wearing masks in crowded places and keeping up to date with vaccinations.

Thira Woratanarat, a professor at Chulalongkorn University, stated on social media that "in the past four weeks, 116 people have died from COVID-19 in Thailand," adding that "this figure is 29 times higher than the number of deaths caused by seasonal influenza."