BANGKOK, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Thailand on Thursday announced tightened measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, with new cases detected in more than one-third of its provinces.

To contain spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, Thailand will adopt different regulation measures nationwide according to risk levels and caseloads, with its 77 provinces classified into four categories, namely the highly-controlled, controlled, under-high-surveillance and under-surveillance.

Natapanu Nopakun, the foreign ministry's deputy spokesperson, told a daily briefing that the highly-controlled zone marked by a high infection rate, with Samut Sakhon being the only one so far, demands the setting-up of a field hospital and checking points as well as restrictions imposed on movements and New Year celebrations.

In the controlled zone, including the capital Bangkok and three other provinces near Samut Sakhon, residents are required to avoid mass gatherings and New Year celebrations to scale down, according to him.

Thailand reported 67 new confirmed cases Thursday, bringing its tally to 5,829, with fatalities remaining at 60, according to data released by the Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

Of the new cases, 58 were local infections, including 14 in Bangkok, nine in Samut Sakhon, six in Nonthaburi and four in Samut Prakan, among others, according to the CCSA. Nine others were imported cases.

The latest flare-up of infections was first detected at a seafood market in Samut Sakhon province near Bangkok after a 67-year-old Thai woman vendor was confirmed to be infected last week.

Cases connected to the seafood market have been reported in 27 provinces, including Bangkok, and the number is fluctuating, Natapanu said.

He noted that the COVID-19 situation remains controllable in Thailand.

Thailand reported 548 new confirmed infections Saturday, marking the highest daily spike. In the past months, it had seen cases only reported in people in quarantine after arriving from abroad.

The country stopped to update the number of cases in Myanmar migrant workers, who have contributed the majority of the cases in the latest outbreak in Samut Sakhon, home to a large number of migrant workers mostly employed in the fishing industry.

Samut Sakhon has been put under lockdown since Saturday.

While giving a televised speech on Tuesday, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the latest outbreak in Samut Sakhon is "primarily due to illegal immigrants."

The prime minister on Thursday called for the people nationwide to revive the awareness of public health safety and strictly follow measures against the pandemic. Enditem

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