Covid cases decline, ex-inmate quarantine axed

>>The country’s Covid-19 situation is on an improving trend with three provinces seeing zero cases yesterday, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

The CCSA said on its Facebook site that the number of new infections has declined and that Chiang Rai, Lampang and Lamphun reported no new cases in the past 24 hours.

Sixty-one provinces reported fewer than 100 new cases. Six had fewer than 10 cases: Krabi (8), Narathiwat (8), Phangnga (8), Satun (6), Trang (3) and Mae Hong Son (2).

According to the CCSA, the country registered 54 more Covid-19 fatalities and 6,736 new cases during the previous 24 hours.

The new cases did not include 6,651 positive results from antigen tests over the previous 24 hours.

The daily caseload has been below 10,000 for 13 consecutive days.

Despite the downward trend, vaccination remained necessary, said the CCSA.

About 81.2% of the population has now received at least one dose of the vaccine while 74.7% received two shots. About 38.9% had a booster dose, according to the CCSA.

Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said yesterday the country will lower its Covid-19 alert level from Level 3 to Level 2 when the number of infections is reduced to target.

The Ministry of Public Health on May 9 lowered the alert level from Level 4 to Level 3, allowing most members of the public to resume their daily activities with fewer restrictions.

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin has instructed the Corrections Department to not quarantine ex-inmates for Covid-19 testing after their release date.

He said he has told the department not to detain former inmates without proper reason and they should be tested for the virus prior to their release date.

“The department should isolate them and test them before the release,” he said, responding to complaints that former prisoners were detained for 15-21 days for Covid-19 precautions despite the release date.