BANGKOK • Thailand yesterday reported a new daily record of 21 coronavirus deaths in one day, the health ministry said, as the South-east Asian country prepared to open registration for a long-awaited mass vaccination campaign.

The health ministry reported 1,891 new cases, bringing the total number of infections to 67,044 since the pandemic began last year, with 224 deaths.

Thailand is fighting a fierce third wave of infections, the worst of the pandemic after a year of relative success in controlling the virus.

The new outbreak includes the highly transmissible B117 variant and has accounted for about half of its total cases and deaths during the pandemic.

A slow roll-out of vaccines has churned public frustration, with the 2.5 million doses of the Chinese Sinovac vaccine received so far going mostly to medical and front line workers and the most vulnerable.

Registration for vaccinating the general public began yesterday, with about 16 million people aged over 60 or those with pre-existing conditions like diabetes getting priority.

The mass inoculations are set to begin next month, when the first batch of an eventual 61 million locally manufactured AstraZeneca doses are available. Thailand aims to have 70 per cent of its population vaccinated by the end of the year.

REUTERS