Thai virologist warns against Delta variant as Covid-19 deaths hit record high

Health workers prepare doses of the Covid-19 coronavirus CoronaVac vaccine at Bang Sue Central Railway Station in Bangkok on June 22, 2021. - AFP

BANGKOK (The Nation/ANN): Well-known Thai virologist Yong Poovorawan on Wednesday (June 23) urged the government to inoculate as many people as possible to prevent an outbreak of the Covid-19 Delta variant, as the country reported a record increase in virus-linked deaths.

Citing a study by the Department of Medical Sciences, Dr Yong said 90 per cent of Covid-19 infections in Thailand were of the Alpha strain, followed by the Delta strain (9 per cent) and the Beta strain (1 per cent).