For the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic hit Thailand, no new cases were reported in the country on Wednesday, May 13.

No death was reported for the fourth day straight as well.

The total number of cases for Thailand as of Wednesday morning is 3,017, while the death toll stands at 56.

Thailand "doing better" since reopening of businesses

According to Bangkok Post, Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Covid-19 task force, said he and "everyone who has contributed to disease control" are happy with the containment progress.

He said: "We have been doing better since the reopening of business started on May 3."

Other than the 18 new cases found among quarantined migrants in the southern Songkhla province on May 4, the number of new cases reported each day since May 3 has remained in single digits.

Taweesilp revealed that May 4 was actually the first day that the country did not find any new local transmission case, as the 18 new cases reported that day were from "quarantine facilities".

He further said the latest "no-case announcement" makes Thailand's "zero-case status official".

In addition, he said health authorities had broadened the criteria for testing to cover people with mild symptoms.

This means Thailand's "zero-case status" is not due to any leniency in the work done to find new infections, he said.

Safety precautions to continue

Nevertheless, he urged people to continue to take safety precautions by washing their hands, wearing face masks and continuing with social distancing.

He also cautioned the people not to expect a return to business as usual.

The state of emergency in Thailand, invoked on March 26, has been extended to the end of May even as new Covid-19 cases are declining.

It was originally slated to end on April 30.

Top image by LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/AFP via Getty Images