Over 41,000 COVID-19 cases reported in Thailand this year

More than 41,000 people were infected with COVID-19 and 15 died in Thailand between January 1st and May 8th this year, which was fewer than the 777,730 infections and 222 fatalities over the same period last year, according to Dr. Panumas Yanawetsakul, director-general of the Diseases Control Department.

He said new COVID-19 cases are being diagnosed continuously, as the virus has become localised and infections tend to rise during the rainy season and after the Songkran festival, due to the gathering together of many people.

COVID-19 cases are mostly found in children aged 14 and under, but mass infections are rare.

Meanwhile, more than 322,000 people were infected with influenza during the same period and 43 died. Most infections were found in the same age group.

The Centre for Medical Genomics of the Faculty of Medicine, at Ramathibodi Hospital, reports that the LP.8.1 sub variant, which evolved from the JN.1 sub variant through the KP.1.1.3 sub variant, is capable of evading the immune system and has a tendency to spread in several regions, while the XEC sub variant, which is a hybrid variant, is declining.

This is an indication that the virus is constantly evolving and preventive measures, including vaccines, have to be developed to cope with any future pandemic.