Several field hospitals have opened in Thailand after an outbreak of Covid-19 cases across the country.

Hundreds of infections have been traced to nightclubs and bars in the capital Bangkok in recent days. The cases have spread to neighbouring regions.

Officials in Chiang Mai province said they have detected 47 cases, all of which stem from a cluster in the upmarket Thong Lor area of Bangkok.

Footage shows a field hospital in Chiang Mai with 280 beds that has now opened in the city to handle the new wave of coronavirus infections, which are linked to the highly contagious coronavirus variant B.1.1.7, also known as the British strain.

Deputy Chiang Mai governor Weeraphan Dee-on said: ‘All entertainment venues will be closed and the alcohol will be banned for seven days from April 9 following the order from the communicable disease control committee.

‘The venues that opened on April 8 were required to show the lists of customers to the officials. Organisers of any public gathering must show their managing plan to the committee to make sure that people would not exceed 200.’

Thailand recorded 985 new Covid-19 infections on Monday (April 12) taking the total number of cases in the country to 32,625. There have been 97 deaths.