Thailand | Daily Covid-19 Stats

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The Covid-19 Situation in Thailand



Thailand Covid-19 | Daily Update: May 17. 2022

The Covid-19 Situation in Thailand

38 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the CCSA today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 29,550with 7,852 of those fatalities since the start of this year.
In the 24-hour period since the last count, the CCSA recorded 3,893 new Covid-19 cases and 7,323recoveries. There are now 63,337 people in Thailand being treated for Covid-19. Out of the new cases recorded today, 4 were found in correctional facilities. More than 80,000 inmates at Thailand’s overcrowded prisons and detention centres have tested positive for Covid-19 over the past several months. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has recorded 4,382,977confirmed Covid-19 cases. Out of that number, 2,159,542 Infections have been reported since January 1

Thailand’s Covid-19 alert decreases to Level 3

Today, the Ministry of Public Health announced that Thailand’s Covid-19 alert level has decreased from Level 4 to Level 3 nationwide. Whether Thailand is ready to declare Covid-19 as endemic will depend on vaccination rates, according to the ministry. Director-General of the Disease Control Department Opas Kankawinpong said Level 3 means Thai residents still can’t go to bars and entertainment venues, or any places which are crowded or have bad ventilation systems. People in high-risk groups, such as the elderly or those with congenital diseases, should avoid group gatherings, he said. He advises that high-risk groups and the unvaccinated should avoid travelling across provinces, and advises that everyone refrain from travelling abroad at this time. Opas said more than 90% of coronavirus deaths are among elderly people. He said that some have underlying health conditions, while others didn’t get a booster vaccine. Thailand is coming out of the pandemic and edging closer towards declaring Covid-19 as endemic, with 54 provinces in an “improved” situation and 23 provinces in a “stable” situation. Director-General of the Department of Medical Sciences Supakit Sirilak said no hybrid strains of coronavirus had been confirmed in Thailand yet, but authorities would closely keep an eye out for them. He said that all new Covid-19 cases are infected with Omicron, mostly with the BA.2 variant, which spread 1.4 times faster than the former variants. The variants under close international monitoring are BA.4, BA.5, BA.2.12.1.

Covid-19 cases rising among children in Thailand ages 5 and under

Covid-19 infections are on the rise among young children in Thailand, with more than 100,000 children ages five and under affected since the pandemic began. Last month, around 1,000 children under six years old tested positive for Covid-19. But that number spiked last week to 6,000 children in that age group infected, according to the deputy director-general of the Department of Health. From April of last year to February of this year, there were 107,059 kids infected with Covid-19, according to the official data. They contributed for 5% of the nearly 2 million Covid-19 cases across all age categories. A total of 29 children infected with the virus have died. Many of the children caught the virus from a family member. Parents were advised to pay special attention to their children in this age group because vaccines for them were not yet available. Health officials advise people should complete a risk assessment to protect vulnerable groups like those with underlying health concerns, pregnant women, the elderly and children.

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Public Health Ministry raises Covid-19 Alert Level to 4 (out of 5 levels)

Thailand’s Covid-19 alert level is raised from 3 to 4… The highest level is 5 with the most stringent measures advised to prevent the spread of the virus. The Public Health Ministry raised the level following the uptick in coronavirus cases, as well as infections involving the Omicron variant, following the New Year holiday.

The level 4 preventative measures include asking residents to avoid dining or drinking at restaurants, visiting “risky” venues, and travelling, especially on public transportation. The ministry is encouraging people to work from home and added that some businesses and venues that have a high risk of Covid-19 transmission may need to be closed.

Along with practicing the regular preventative measures, like wearing face masks and social distancing, Thai authorities are encouraging the public to get vaccinated and take at-home Covid-19 tests frequently, especially those who recently travelled for the holiday.

In a press briefing, Public Health Permanent Secretary Kiattibhoom Vongrachit said…

“I would like to urge people, who recently returned from other provinces, to closely monitor their health for at least 14 days, and it would be great if they could work from home.”

The highest alert level would advise the public to stay at home, to avoid gatherings of more than five people, even family members, and to not travel overseas.

[Sundance2020]

Anutin: Rise in Covid-19 infections is from careless New Year’s



Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul says that the surge in new Covid-19 infections is to be expected after the New Year’s holiday, but the fact that the number of daily deaths has not risen significantly is it good sign following current scientific data that reveals that the Omicron variant is more transmissible but less severe than the currently dominant Delta strain.

Only 11 deaths were recorded yesterday, in line with the average numbers over the past week, though daily infections shot up from below 3000 to 5,775 in today’s data. Anutin vow to remain vigilant and announced that in the face of the rising Omicron infections, the Department of Disease Control is mulling over restrictions and strategies.

“The Department of Disease Control is considering bringing back some preventive measures and postponing the easing of certain restrictions.”

While the new spike in infections is most certainly due to travel and celebration over the New Year’s holiday, and therefore predictably expected, Anutin still stresses that it was made worse by the restaurants, bars, and pubs that were allowed to open for the holiday but failed to implement any sort of Covid-19 safety procedures. He said that venues didn’t enforce mask-wearing or social distancing, or limit the number of attendees and follow the approved hours of operation.

While the increase in Covid-19 infections is alarming, it’s a far cry from the peak last year of around 28,000 daily infections. Anutin says that Thailand is in a much better position now than it was when the third wave blindsided the mostly Covid-free country last year.

“The current situation is much better, as about 70% of Thais have been vaccinated, while around 8 million to 9 million people have already received booster shots. I believe the Covid-19 situation this year will be significantly improved than the previous year.”

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Bangkok reports surge in Covid cases linked to restaurant/bars, student dorms



Health officials say there has been a surge in infections in Bangkok, linked to restaurant/bars and other crowded places, such as student dorms. According to a Bangkok Post report, 939 new cases were reported in the capital yesterday, 45 of which were imported. Dr Suthas Chottanapan from the DDC says 300 of the local cases were contracted in restaurants operating as pubs, or in other crowded places such as student dorms and police flats.

In the case of restaurant/bars, Suthas says that any SHA+ accredited venue found to have been flouting disease control measures will have their accreditation removed. He has also advised the public not to frequent poorly-ventilated places, particularly where people are not wearing face masks because they are drinking.

Suthas acknowledges there have been fewer Covid-19 fatalities recently, but points out that 61% of those who did die were either unvaccinated or had only received 1 dose. Bangkok has now reported 6,905 deaths since the third Covid-19 wave began in April 2021. Of those, 4,266 were unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated.

Meanwhile, Pongsakorn Kwanmuang from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration says there have been no major Covid-19 clusters reported in the capital. The Bangkok Post reports that health officials have set aside around 10,000 beds to cope with the highly-contagious Omicron variant. Currently 18% of the capital’s hospital beds are occupied by Covid patients. The BMA is also increasing the number of vaccination centres to 129.

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Covid-19 Stats until Feb 03.2022

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The "Greatest" Anutin praises Thailand’s handling of the Pandemic

Thailand’s Health Minister has ruled out any further easing of Covid-19 restrictions, despite reports yesterday that the CCSA is considering such a move. According to a Nation Thailand report, Anutin Charnvirakul has also praised the country’s handling of the pandemic, including the vaccine rollout.

Yesterday, Opas Karnkawinpong from the Department of Disease Control was reported as saying Thailand would need to move on and learn to live with the virus in a manner similar to what’s happening in other countries, where restrictions are being eased or lifted entirely. Not so fast, says Anutin. However, the health minister has acknowledged that, despite new cases reaching 10,000 a day, Omicron has resulted in less severe illness and the situation is manageable.

Anutin goes on to say that as more people are getting vaccinated, hospitalisations and deaths from the virus are dropping. Overall, he thinks the government has done a great job controlling Covid-19 and says he’s not the only one to say so.

“I recently had a discussion with the US Ambassador to Thailand about the coronavirus situation. He said one thing clear in Thailand’s actions is that we provide information in a transparent and straightforward manner. We also expect people to help the government prevent and manage the epidemic. We, therefore, disclose the information in its entirety to make society aware and understand the situation. We provide vaccines in time according to plan with efficiency and safety.”

According to media reports, PM Prayut Cha-o-cha will chair a meeting of the CCSA this Friday, during which officials are expected to discuss the easing of some Covid restrictions in order to allow some activities to resume and a degree of normality to return.

[Nerd]

Bangkok experiencing Covid surge as new infections rise to 2,000 a day

The Department of Disease Control has reported a surge in Covid-19 infections in Bangkok, with daily cases rising to around 2,000 a day. According to a Bangkok Post report, most patients are adolescents or of working age. Dr Suthat Chottanapund from the Institute for Urban Disease Control and Prevention says the capital is now recording between 1,800 – 2,000 cases a day. In most cases, the virus is being spread through group activities in venues such as pubs and bars which are now operating under restaurant licences.

“We have found the main cause of infections remains unchanged, and we have seen more infections within families as the Omicron variant is easily spread.”

Between December 12 and February 8, Bangkok reported 28,256 Covid-19 infections, with 31% of patients between the ages of 20 and 29. Around 21% were between the ages of 30 and 39 and 15% were aged 40 – 49. However, the number of Covid-19 fatalities has dropped from around 5 – 10 a day to 1 or 2 a day, according to Suthat. The unvaccinated, the elderly, and those with underlying health conditions account for most of the deaths from the virus.

As cases continue to rise in the capital, a number of clusters have been reported at the city’s fresh markets. Health officials are urging market vendors and customers to adhere to disease prevention measures such as mask-wearing, social distancing, and hand washing. In particular, Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai from the Department of Health says regular handwashing is important given that the virus can remain on items such bank notes, coins, plastic bags and other shared products.

Yesterday, Thailand reported 13,182 new infections, with 40 of those found in prisons and 139 imported. There were 24 Covid-related deaths. Of the imported cases, the Bangkok Post reports that 51 were from Russia, 9 from Kazakhstan, 8 each from Germany and France, and 6 each from the Ukraine and Estonia.

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Thailand’s health ministry wants to declare Covid-19 endemic within 4 months

Thailand’s health ministry wants to declare Covid 19 as endemic in the next 4 months, according to a Bangkok Post report. Senior ministry official Kiattiphum Wongrajit says the Omicron variant has resulted in a much lower fatality rate than in previous waves and while lung infections are increasing, cases of severe illness are still lower than earlier waves of the coronavirus.

Health officials say deaths are also 10 times lower and could be lowered further if 60% – 70% of the elderly population get their booster vaccine dose.

The health ministry says it plans to hold a press conference to confirm the plan for transitioning the country out of pandemic status and on to managing an endemic illness. At the start of this year, the ministry confirmed its intention to declare Covid-19 endemic this year.

Kiattiphum says that as part of the move, the duration of Covid treatment will be adjusted and the quarantine period for high-risk contacts will be reduced. At this stage, officials say a return to lockdowns is extremely unlikely, even with the current surge in cases.

Meanwhile, Kiattiphum has defended the ministry’s decision to remove Covid-19 from the illnesses covered under the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients scheme. Kiattiphum says budgets have to be reviewed as around 100 Billion THB of the UCEP fund has been spent covering Covid treatment at government and private hospitals. Another 100 billion has funded the vaccine rollout.

The removal of Covid-19 from the UCEP scheme (in the case of patients with mild or no symptoms) was set to happen on March 1, but has been delayed for now. Kiattiphum insists Covid patients who are not seriously ill can still get free treatment under state welfare schemes, while moderate to severe illness will still be covered by UCEP.

He says asymptomatic patients or those with only mild symptoms should do home or community isolation and leave hospital beds for those who need them, including those seriously ill with illnesses other than Covid.

“It isn’t just about budget planning. It’s about changing people’s attitude to prepare for an endemic disease. When patients have very mild symptoms, they take medicine and rest. If the symptoms worsen, it is time to see a doctor.”

[Logan]

Thai health officials predict daily case count of 40,000 – 50,000 by mid-April

The Department of Disease Control says Thailand’s daily new Covid cases could reach between 40,000 and 50,000 by the middle of next month. Health officials warn that infections could even rise to 100,000 if current restrictions are eased.

According to a Thai PBS World report, officials have called for strict adherence to Level 4 restrictions, particularly in restaurants, bars, and other venues where there are large gatherings. The DDC says if restrictions are strictly complied with, cases could peak at about 20,000 a day. If the country has to move to a Level 5 alert, this would involve re-introducing a curfew.

Yesterday, Thailand reported 23,618 new infections, which was a drop on Saturday’s high of 25,615. However, 42,138 people tested positive through antigen tests in the last 24 hours, which represents a new high. Bangkok yesterday reported 2,779 new cases from PCR testing. The capital currently has 101,172 patients in home isolation and 26,601 in community isolation facilities.

Meanwhile, in order to ease the pressure on Bangkok’s outpatient facilities, the Public Health Ministry has enlisted the help of 14 hospitals in surrounding provinces. Public Permanent Secretary Dr. Kiattibhoom Vongrachit says the number of staff manning the 1330 hotline run by the National Health Security Office has been increased to 700. However, those answering calls are still struggling with the volume, which reached 70,300 calls on Wednesday. This means many calls are going unanswered or callers are on hold for a long time.

To address the issue, Kiattibhoom says a number of hospitals in the surrounding provinces are being enlisted to offer outpatient services for up to 18,650 patients a day. It’s understood that most have tested positive through antigen tests.

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Positive results from antigen test reach record high in Thailand

The number of positive results from rapid antigen test kits reached a record high. Yesterday, the Thai health officials reported 42,138 positive results from the ATKs which need to be confirmed with an RT-PCR test to be included in the government’s official Covid-19 count. It’s unclear what the actual number might be as many people who test positive in a self-administered Covid test do not report their infection with public health officials.

Yesterday, health officials reported 42,138 positive results from ATKs, a record high, Thai PBS World reports. A total of 23,618 using RT-PCR tests were reported yesterday by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration.

While the chance that authorities may require isolation at a field hospital or a “hospitel,” many people have been hesitant about reporting their Covid-19 infection with the government.

A stay at a field hospital is typically free, but many have dozens of beds made from cardboard in a large space, like a gymnasium. Some have complained of little to no windows and little air ventilation.

“Hospitels” are hotels that partner with hospitals to provide quarantine rooms for Covid-19 patients with mild to no symptoms. Those who live alone or in a space where they can safely isolate themselves from others can be approved for home isolation.

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Thailand committed to ending COVID-19 as pandemic by July 01. 2022

The Public Health Ministry would cap new daily caseloads in March and April and gradually reduce the numbers from May to end-June while new daily cases should drop to 1,000-2,000 and the fatality rate must fall to about one in 1,000 cases.The Public Health Ministry plans to effectively control COVID-19 and declare it an endemic disease on July 1.2022

Announcing the plan by the ministry’s National Communicable Diseases Committee, Dr Kiattiphum Wongrajit, permanent secretary for public health, said that the ministry would cap new daily caseloads in March and April and gradually reduce the numbers from May to end-June.

By the end of June, new daily cases should drop to 1,000-2,000 and the fatality rate must fall to about one in 1,000 cases. At present the fatality rate is at 0.19% in Thailand and 1.3% worldwide, he said. Dr Tares Krassanairawiwong, director-general of the Department of Health Service Support, said that from March 16 yellow and red-coded COVID-19 patients would be covered by the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients and thus could seek complete treatment at their local hospitals.

Green-coded patients would receive treatment according to their health welfare programs including welfare by the National Health Security Office, the Social Security Office, the government sector and health insurance firms, he said.