THAILAND is stepping up efforts to contain Covid-19 outbreaks in prisons as more than 3,000 people have been infected with the virus behind bars, to date.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs deputy spokesman, Natapanu Nopakun, said all inmates are now required to wear face masks, and to sanitise and wash their hand frequently.

“The Corrections Department is setting up a laboratory to test inmates,” he said at a Covid-19 daily briefing in Bangkok today.

Local media reported that the department also plans to inoculate inmates, especially people at high-risk as well as those over 60 years old, next month. 

To date, there are about 310,000 inmates nationwide.

On May 12, the Corrections Department announced that a total 2,835 inmates in two detention facilities in Bangkok tested positive for Covid-19 – Bangkok Remand Facility and Central Women Correctional Institution.

Prison authorities blamed the outbreak to the court hearings the inmates attended regularly.

Over the last 24 hours, Thailand recorded 3,095 new Covid-19 cases, including 877 inmates, and reported 17 deaths, bringing the total infections in the kingdom to 99,145 and 565 fatalities, to date.

Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) spokesman Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin said the new fatalities involved nine males and eight women aged between 41 and 83 years old, including eight from Bangkok, Samut Prakan (three), Samut Sakhon (two) and one each in Rayong, Chaiyaphum, Pathum Thani and Ratchaburi.

“Since the third wave began in April, a total of 70, 282 Covid-19 cases and 471 fatalities reported.

“A total of 34, 913 people remain warded in hospitals and field hospitals nationwide,” he said. – Bernama, May 15, 2021.