A senior health official says Thailand raised its Covid-19 alert level on Thursday following an increase in infections caused by the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus.
According to Kiattiphum Wongrajit, permanent secretary of the health ministry, the move to level four sets up possible measures, such as closing high-risk areas or restricting public gatherings.
As of Wednesday, there were 3,899 cases in the country, up from an average of 2,600 cases daily at the end of last year, and the Omicron variant has tripled since last month’s holiday season, according to government data.
Thai residents were worried about further disruptions to life as a result of the pandemic, which has resulted in 2.2 million infections and nearly 22,000 deaths.