Thailand closes more public facilities as coronavirus cases top 1,100
A closed restaurant due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, is seen next to the Chao Phraya river with a view of Wat Arun temple, one of the city's top tourist spots, in Bangkok, Thailand March 27, 2020. REUTERS/Jorge Silva
The Thai government on Friday ordered the closing down of more public facilities and businesses in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus, and extended existing closures until the end of April.
Thailand reported 91 new coronavirus cases and one fatality on Friday, bringing the total to 1,136 cases and five deaths, a health official said on Friday. So far, 97 patients have recovered and gone home.
The latest death was of a 50-year-old man in Narathiwat province, bordering Malaysia, who apparently contracted the disease from attending a religious gathering at a mosque in Kuala Lumpur last month, a Thai health official said.
Women wearing masks wait for customers at a food stall during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Chinatown, one of the city's top tourist spots, in Bangkok, Thailand March 27, 2020. REUTERS/Jorge Silva
The death has led to the lockdown of the southern province by its governor, preventing traffic in and out except for ambulances, trucks carrying essential supplies and official vehicles.
The government's new Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) in Bangkok says provincial governors now have the authority to implement strict regulations to contain the outbreak.
"Now is not a normal situation, but its an emergency and people's movements may be difficult, so everyone should stay home," said Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman for CCSA.
A woman wearing a mask waits for customers at an empty food stall during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Chinatown, one of the city's top tourist spots, in Bangkok, Thailand March 27, 2020. REUTERS/Jorge Silva
Authorities in Bangkok, the city with most of the coronavirus cases, have ordered the further shutdown until April 30 of facilities including libraries, museums, playgrounds, sporting grounds, meeting halls, childcare centres and beauty clinics.
The government has also extend the closure of shopping malls, eat-in restaurants and other businesses that were shut down earlier this week to April 30 as well.
Essential businesses such as supermarkets, grocery stores and pharmacies will remain open in Bangkok, while the government has reopened phone shops, food courts in hospitals and flower shops in markets in the capital.
A closed restaurant due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, is seen next to the Chao Phraya river with a view of Wat Arun temple, one of the city's top tourist spots, in Bangkok, Thailand March 27, 2020. REUTERS/Jorge Silva
Several provinces have also issued orders to restrict the opening and closing times of 24-hour convenience stores to reduce the time when people are out in public places.
(Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat and Panu Wongcha-um; Editing by Shri Navaratnam and Alex Richardson)
Men wearing masks wait for customers at an empty food stall during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Chinatown, one of the city's top tourist spots, in Bangkok, Thailand March 27, 2020. REUTERS/Jorge SilvaA man wearing a mask waits for customers at his empty shop during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Chinatown, one of the city's top tourist spots, in Bangkok, Thailand March 27, 2020. REUTERS/Jorge SilvaEmpty chairs are seen on a beach, which is usually full of tourists, amid fears of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Pattaya, Thailand, March 27, 2020. REUTERS/Soe Zeya TunA woman wearing a mask waits for customers at an empty shop during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Chinatown, one of the city's top tourist spots, in Bangkok, Thailand March 27, 2020. REUTERS/Jorge SilvaFILE PHOTO: A woman wearing a protective face mask sits inside a bus, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bangkok, Thailand March 26, 2020. REUTERS/Jorge SilvaA closed restaurant due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, is seen next to the Chao Phraya river with a view of Wat Arun temple, one of the city's top tourist spots, in Bangkok, Thailand March 27, 2020. REUTERS/Jorge Silva
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