Thailand to declare state of emergency to curb virus spread

BANGKOK - Thailand will declare a state of emergency on Thursday to cope with the fast spreading novel coronavirus in the country, the government said Tuesday.Measures taken under the forthcoming emergency decree include stepped-up health screenings and the setting up of checkpoints to prevent mass travels to other regions, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said.Thailand has seen a surge in the number of new infection cases in recent days, with the total cases reaching 827 as of Tuesday. Four people have died from the respiratory disease known as COVID-19.Related coverage:READ FULL ARTICLE