Thailand reports new daily record of 31 coronavirus deaths

BANGKOK: Thailand on Monday reported a new daily record of 31 coronavirus deaths, the health ministry said, as the Southeast Asian country grapples with a third wave of infections.

After managing to largely control the virus for around a year through shutdowns and strict border controls, Thailand has faced a spike in cases since early April that is proving harder to control and putting pressure on parts of the medical system. The ministry recorded 2,041 new COVID-19 cases, taking the country's total number to 71,025 since the pandemic began last year. The total number of fatalities now stands at 276.