On Tuesday, the outbreak centred on entertainment venues in Bangkok’s Thong Lor reached 250 infections.
Authorities responded by closing all pubs and nightspots in the area for two weeks.
Dr Yong Poovorawan (
pic), a virologist at Chulalongkorn University, predicted that Covid-19 cases will rise sharply in 2021 since “people were becoming careless about the virus risk”.
Covid-19 is thought to spread quickly in the enclosed spaces of entertainment venues, where people often have to huddle close and shout to be heard over loud music. Moreover, party goers often visit more than one venue per night, increasing risk of transmission.
Yong said much money and effort would be spent combating the outbreak over the upcoming Songkran holiday, when millions travel to their hometowns to party and be with their families.