New COVID-19 wave hits Thailand, China, and Singapore

Thailand, China, and Singapore are grappling with a new wave of COVID-19 infections, prompting government advisories urging citizens to wear face masks.

According to foreign media, Thailand reported 53,500 COVID-19 cases between May 18 and May 24, per Caliber.Az.

By comparison, the country had seen 187,000 infections from January to mid-May. The surge has been most pronounced in the capital, Bangkok, and is being linked to the mid-April Songkran festival (Thai New Year), which included traditional water fights that likely accelerated transmission. Since mid-May, disinfectants have been sprayed in school buildings across the capital, and some schools have shifted to online learning.

Thai authorities have assured the public that there is sufficient availability of masks, single-use COVID-19 test kits, and hand sanitisers at fair prices. The Health Ministry is offering free telemedicine consultations for infected individuals, including through mobile apps, and is ensuring rapid delivery of prescribed medications.

In China, data from the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention shows that from April 28 to May 4, nearly 16% of hospital-based COVID-19 tests returned positive results, compared to 6.3% in the last week of March. Chinese epidemiologist Zhong Nanshan previously noted that the dominant new variants in China — XDV and XDV.1 — are more resistant to the human immune response. This means that even vaccinated individuals or those who have previously recovered from COVID-19 remain vulnerable to reinfection. Zhong, however, expects the number of infections to begin declining by the end of June.

Singapore is also on high alert following a recent rise in COVID-19 cases. On May 13, the country’s Health Ministry released updated COVID-19 data for the first time in a year. It reported that from April 27 to May 3, the number of infections increased by 28% compared to the previous week, while hospitalisations rose by 30%. Authorities urged residents to take precautions, including getting vaccinated and wearing masks in crowded places.

By Tamilla Hasanova