Over 30% of Thai students infected with Covid since May: survey
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has voiced concern after a survey found that more than 30 per cent of Thai school students caught Covid-19 in the first term this year, government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said on Saturday.
Results of the survey, conducted by the Department of Health, showed that 30.5 per cent of 49,242 students surveyed contracted the coronavirus since returning to class this year. The new school term began in May.
According to the survey results, most of the infected students contracted Covid-19 from family members. Only 5.6 per cent of those surveyed caught the virus at school while fewer than 0.4 per cent caused Covid-19 infections within their families.
Most of the cases showed mild symptoms, such as fever, coughing, runny nose, and muscle pain, according to the spokesman.
He said that PM Prayut had urged schools to continue practising preventive measures that have proven successful in curbing Covid-19. The measures include distancing, mask-wearing, hand washing, testing, and cleaning.
Schools have also been advised to hold activities in small groups, adopt a screening system and conduct isolation drills to prepare for new Covid infections.