The COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage several Southeast Asian countries, with hundreds of new cases reported in a single day.

People visit shopping centre in Bangkok, Thailand (Photo: Reuters)

On 5 January, Thailand confirmed 527 new infections, most of which were reported among Myanmar migrants living in the central province of Samut Sakhon.

Thailand has so far reported 8,966 confirmed cases of COVID-19, of whom 6,900 were local infections and 2,066 others reported in people in quarantine, the Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) spokesperson Taweesin Visanuyothin said.

Of the total, 4,397 patients have fully recovered and been discharged from hospitals while 4,504 others are currently being treated in hospitals. A total of 65 fatalities have been reported, he added.

The same day, the Department of Health (DOH) of the Philippines reported 937 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the country's total tally to 479,693.

The DOH has reported less than 1,000 daily increase for three straight days since Sunday. However, the department reiterated that the lower figures were due in part to a decrease in test samples submitted to COVID-19 laboratories during the New Year holiday, adding that a rise in cases in the coming weeks is possible.

The toll rose to 9,321 after 58 more patients died from the pandemic on the day, the DOH said, adding that 114 more patients have recovered, raising the total number of recoveries to 448,375.

Meanwhile, Cambodia’s provincial administrations along the Thai border are planning to seek intervention from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport to postpone the re-opening of schools scheduled for January 11 as some have been converted to quarantine sites for migrant workers returning from Thailand.

Battambang deputy provincial governor Soeum Bunrith said that from December 28 to January 4, some 1,815 people returned from Thailand through the province’s international border checkpoints. They are currently in quarantine with some sites located at schools.

Banteay Meanchey deputy governor Ly Sary said that people were arriving to the province every day, and over 1,000 migrants had been quarantined so far.

According to Sary, if the circumstances of COVID-19 community transmission in Thailand cannot be brought under control, provinces bordering the neighbouring country must implement safety policies such as preventing large gatherings, while school re-openings could be postponed.

Education ministry spokesman Ros Soveacha said plans to re-open schools and resume the 2020-2021 academic year on January 11 would proceed in accordance with safety measures.

The ministry will make a public announcement at an appropriate time, if anything changes, he said.

From late December 2020 to 4 January, 6,465 Cambodian workers returned home from Thailand. Of the total, 17 returning Cambodians had tested positive for COVID-19./.

Source: VNA