There were now about 29,000 new Covid-19 cases a day and the figures were rising in 23 provinces, particularly in Greater Bangkok and other tourist zones, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported on Friday.
CCSA spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin said the daily stastistics came from people who registered their infections, and a small number of them were admitted to hospital.
New cases were declining in 54 provinces while rising in 23 other provinces, some of which reported large waves of infection, he said.
The 23 provinces were Bangkok, Chon Buri, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Rayong, Tak, Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon, Lop Buri, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Nakhon Phathom, Ayutthaya, Krabi, Phangnga, Narathiwat, Trang, Pattani, Yala and Songkhla.
"Phuket has big waves of new infection. New cases are noticeably increasing in Greater Bangkok and tourism provinces," Dr Taweesilp said.
On Thursday there were 20 more coronavirus-related deaths, and 2,144 new cases admitted to hospitals.
As of midnight Thursday, a total of 25,082 people were receiving Covid-19 treatment (up from 24,904 the previous day), including 10,470 in hospitals (up from 10,211). Of the remainder, 1,083 were in field hospitals/hospitel facilities (down from 1,148) and 13,500 in home/community isolation (down from 13,541).
Of those in hospital, 763 were seriously ill with lung inflammation (up from 757) and 327 dependent on ventilators (down from 329).
"The hospital bed occupancy rate is at 11.9%. The number of patients admitted to hospital dropped over the past week but the number of patients with lung inflammation and dependence on ventilators rose slightly," Dr Taweesilp said.
The 24-hour period also saw 1,946 patients discharged from hospitals after recovering.
The 20 people who died were aged from 14 to 87 years.
"All the latest fatalities were in vulnerable groups of people," Dr Taweesilp said.
Bangkok logged three new deaths and there was one in the adjacent province of Nonthaburi.
Other central plains provinces further from the capital had five - in Uthai Thani, Saraburi, Suphan Buri, Chachoengsao and Prachin Buri.
The North reported two more deaths, in Phitsanulok and Lampang
The Northeast reported seven fatalities - three in Ubon Ratchathani, two in Nakhon Ratchasima and one each in Nong Khai and Maha Sarakham.
The South had two, in Surat Thani.
All the 2,144 new cases admitted to hospital over the 24 hours were from the general population.
Since the pandemic started in early 2020, there have been 4,540,955 Covid-19 cases, including 2,317,520 this year, with 4,485,075 complete recoveries to date.
The accumulated death toll stood at 30,798 since the beginning of the pandemic, including 9,100 so far this year.
Global Covid-19 cases rose by 925,494 in 24 hours to 558.65 million. The worldwide death toll went up by 1,725 to 6.37 million.
The United States had the most cases at 90.06 million, up 91,472, and the most deaths at 1.04 million, up 320.
The world and Thailand passed their Covid-19 peak early this year and there were small waves of new infection at the present time, Dr Taweesilp said.
