Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health said on Wednesday, December 29, 2021, that the country has detected 739 cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant to date.
The new cases included 488 overseas arrivals and 251 local infections.
Although the majority of new COVID-19 cases reported in Thailand are still those of the Delta variant, more Omicron cases have started popping up, said Supakit Sirilak, director-general of the Medical Sciences Department from the Ministry of Public Health.
According to the official, Omicron infections have already been found in at least 33 provinces.
Nineteen of such cases are known to be from local infections.
Many of those locally infected patients are linked to transmission from the Kalasin cluster.
Three provinces – Bangkok, Kalasin and Phuket – accounted for more than 60 per cent of these Omicron cases.
The Ministry of Public Health urged the people to protect themselves with face masks, social distancing and regular hand washing as these measures were still proven effective in preventing infection by all COVID-19 variants.
Government officials have been told to work from home after the New Year, while schools may consider resuming online classes as part of a precautionary measures to keep the country safe from the rising threat posed by the Omicron variant.
