30.05.2025 – (12:01 PM)

Thailand reported 67,484 new COVID-19 cases and eight deaths from the virus in the seven-day period from May 18 to 24, the Department of Disease Control (DDC) said.

The most prevalent strain in Thailand is the Omicron variant JN.1, which has caused 211,717 new cases and 51 deaths this year.

The statement said 14 clusters of infections have been identified since the Songkram period.

The death rate from COVID-19 has dropped to 0.02 percent since the Songkram period, with most patients experiencing mild to moderate symptoms, said DDC spokesman Dr. Jurai Wongsawat.

However, the number of infections increased sharply between May 19 and 21, 2025, exceeding the same period in 2024.

Between May 18 and 24, there were 67,484 new COVID-19 cases and eight deaths.

As of May 27, the total number of cases this year had risen to 211,717, with 51 deaths.

Dr. Jurai urged the public to remain vigilant but not panic.

The virus can mutate into less severe forms, and infections are likely to increase during the rainy and winter seasons, he warned.

The Department of Medical Sciences said that 63.92 percent of COVID-19 cases in Thailand from January 2024 to May 6, 2025, were caused by the Omicron variant JN.1.

The XEC variant has decreased by 3.07 percent, and other variants of concern are being monitored.

The new variants are not as severe as the disease, but they are spreading more quickly, he said.

COVID-19 infections have resurfaced in many parts of Asia, with Hong Kong, Singapore, China and Thailand reporting a sharp increase in new cases and severe cases.

The rate of COVID-19 positive tests in respiratory samples has reached its highest level in more than a year, the Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection said.

Singapore’s number of new cases rose by 28% in the week ending May 3, to an average of 14,200. The number of people hospitalized for the virus rose by 30%.