The country logged 65 new COVID-19 fatalities which marked the new high of deaths in the latest wave of the disease, according to the Department of Disease Control.
Dr Chakrarat Pittayawonganont, the epidemiology director of the department, said the high deaths resulted from daily new COVID-19 caseloads of over 20,000 from early February and 95% of new fatalities were vulnerable and elderly people, especially bed-ridden people who contracted the disease from care-takers.
Dr Chakrarat said that only 30% of elderly people were vaccinated against COVID-19 although the government intended to inoculate 70% of them. Officials concerned were ordered to speed up inoculation for elderly people and unvaccinated elderly people would have to take full precautions when younger relatives would return home during the Songkran festival, he said.
However, Dr Chakrarat said the COVID-19 fatality rate related to the Omicron variant was relatively lower than about 300 fatalities a day during the past outbreaks of the Delta variant last August. (TNA)
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