Coronavirus: Newborn babies given mini face shields to protect against Covid-19 at Bangkok hospital

More than 2,400 cases reported in Thailand

Hospitals in Thailand are equipping newborn babies with plastic face shields to help protect them against coronavirus.

Nurses at the Praram 9 Hospital in Bangkok have been pictured holding the masked babies in a maternity ward.

Reuters

Another hospital in Samut Prakarn province has adopted the same measure.

“We have extra protection measures for little ones and friends, with face shield for newborns. So cute!” Paolo Hospital wrote on its Facebook page.

Thailand reported 50 new coronavirus cases and the death of a 43-year-old woman on Friday.

Nurses at Praram 9 Hospital in Bangkok hold two babies wearing face shields

Of the new cases, 27 are linked to previous infections while eight people are waiting for confirmation of how they caught the disease, said Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a government spokesman.

Since the outbreak escalated in January, Thailand has reported a total of 2,473 cases and 33 fatalities.

(Source: Independent)

Bangkok capital hit by six bomb blasts at different locations as it hosts Asean security summit, police say

PM condemns 'those causing the situation which destroys peace and damages the country's image'

Police in Bangkok say at least six bomb blasts went off at a number of locations in the city on Friday, as the Thai capital hosted a key regional security summit.

A seventh device was recovered unexploded, officials said, as the Thai prime minister ordered an urgent investigation to find the perpetrators.

Four people were injured in the blasts, none seriously, according to a central medical facility. Images from one bomb site showed three street cleaners looking dazed and getting treatment from medics.

The first two explosions took place near metro stations in the city centre, just before 9am during the morning rush-hour. The fourth injury occurred in a blast near the 77-storey King Power Mahanakhon tower, one of the tallest buildings in the city.

And shortly afterwards, a blast was heard at a government complex housing several ministries in the northern part of the city. There has been no claim of responsibility.

"I would like to condemn those causing the situation which destroys peace and damages the country's image," said prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on Twitter.

"I have instructed officials to take care of public safety and those affected promptly."

Deputy prime minister Prawit Wongsuwan told reporters that police had arrested two suspects, and accused the bombers of trying to "create a situation".

On Thursday police had found two fake bombs near the venue of the meeting of foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The meeting was not interrupted.

China's top diplomat Wang Yi and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are among the regional and global representatives attending the forum.

It was not immediately clear whether the bombings were designed to target the summit, or if they were linked to Thailand's recent democratic election, in which the country's military junta formally gave up power - but coup general Prayuth remained in office.

Analysts say the use of small, generally harmless bombs is a not uncommon part of the Thai political scene, often characterised by power struggles between factions within the country's highly politicised security forces.

Bombings are usually blamed on those in opposition at the time, though substantial arrests are rarely made. 

(Source: Independent)