Thailand's coronavirus task force has called on pregnant women in the country to get vaccinated against Covid-19, citing a higher risk of deaths among those who become infected with the coronavirus.

“We have a target of vaccinating 500,000 women who are at least 12 weeks pregnant, but only 2,078, or 0.4 per cent, have received two doses,” Apisamai Srirangsan, a spokesperson for the coronavirus task force, told a news briefing.

“Pregnant women are 2.5 times more likely to die after an infection than others due to changes to body shape that makes breathing more difficult,” Reuters quoted Apisamai as saying.