Month: July 2021

Thailand may see over 40,000 new COVID-19 infections and 500 deaths per day, peaking mid-September, if the current lockdown restrictions are not rigorously followed and enforced and without full cooperation from everyone, according to a projection by the Ministry of Public Health, based on a Susceptible Exposed Infected Recovery (SEIR) compartmental mathematical model.

Citing the model, advisor and spokesman for the Ministry, Dr. Rungruang Kitpati, said that only with strict enforcement of control measures and everyone’s total cooperation will the infections and fatalities slow down and, even then, not for the next 2 to 4 weeks.

More lives can be saved and fewer people will become infected if strict measures are in place and rigorously enforced, accompanied by accelerated COVID-19 screening and mass vaccinations.

As a COVID-19 resurgence has been reported in several countries, he said that restrictions to contain the spread of the contagion must be tightened.

He disclosed that, in Bangkok, 61.67% of the general population and 70% of the elderly have been inoculated, adding that, in August, 10 million more doses of vaccines will be arriving and people in other provinces will get access to more of them.

Administration of the first 1.5 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, donated by the United States, will commence on August 9th, 700,000 doses of which will be used as booster shots.

645,000 doses are to be distributed to 12 provincial “Dark Red” zones for people over 60, those afflicted with any of the seven underlying diseases, minors aged 12 and over, women who are at least 12 weeks pregnant and those weighing more than 100kgs.

150,000 does are intended for high-risk foreign residents in Thailand and students, or others who have to travel abroad. The remaining 5,000 does are reserved for research purposes.

 

Source: Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS)

Bang Sue Grand Station in Bangkok was packed with people today (Saturday), queuing in multiple lines to get vaccinated on the last day of the walk-in service.

The service was being provided to the over 60s, women who are at least 12 weeks pregnant, those afflicted with any of the seven underlying diseases and people who weigh more than 100kgs.

Starting on Sunday, however, only those who have registered online, via Thailand’s mobile phone service providers since July 29th, are eligible to be vaccinated. The service is also open to people aged between 18 and 60. Only 10,000 doses are to be administered each day and the free inoculations will last until the end of the month.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 Information Centre reported that 17,491,632 doses of vaccines were administered in 77 provinces between February 28th and July 30th. This comprises 13,640,179 people who have received the first jab and 3,851,453 who are now fully inoculated.

To speed up the process at all vaccination sites, including in private and state hospitals across the country, the CCSA has removed the requirement for blood pressure checks.

On Samui Island, another field hospital is due to open on Sunday, to cope with anticipated increase in COVID-19 cases, which are expected to overwhelm the existing capacities of Koh Samui hospital and the current field hospital, after 113 people were found infected in a restaurant cluster.

The new field hospital will be able to accommodate 100 patients.

Following the Phuket “sandbox” model, the resort island launched the “Samui Plus” program on July 15th, to welcome foreign tourists who are fully inoculated and screened for infection no more than 72 hours before arrival.

20 foreign tourists flew onto the island on Friday and Samui-Singapore flights are to resume operations tomorrow.

 

Source: Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS)

Thailand’s new COVID-19 infections (18,912) and deaths (178) both reached new 24 hour highs on Saturday, according to the CCSA.

The new infections include 18,102 locally transmitted and 810 among prisoners. Cumulative infections, since April 1st this year, are 568,424 with a death toll of 4,763.

364,494 people have recovered, while 200,510 are undergoing treatment in general and field hospitals.

Bangkok had the most new infections today, with 3,668 cases, and 64 deaths. Other provinces with high infection rates included Samut Sakhon (1,178), Chon Buri (1,062), Samut Prakan (872), Rayong (670), Nonthaburi (577), Nakhon Pathom (538), Chachoengsao (437), Si Sa Ket (369) and Pathum Thani (351 cases).

The coastal province of Samut Sakhon’s communicable disease committee today ordered the closure of a car tire factory in Muang district for 14 days, after more than 170 workers were found to be infected with COVID-19.

The factory employs 1,322 Thais and 92 foreign migrant workers. Rapid antigen tests on 560 of them, on July 26th and 27th, returned positive results for 160, so the decision was taken to shut the factory down after also finding that the factory had failed to set up a field hospital in its compound to contain the contagion.

Two new clusters have been found in Bangkok in the past 24 hours. One is at a masjid in Min Buri district and the other in the Nurusyhakan community in Chom Thong district.

More clusters were also found at a cosmetic factory in Samut Sakhon, a construction worker’s dormitory in Ban Chang district of Rayong, a car tire factory in Bang Len district of Nakhon Pathom, an electronics factory in Khlong Luang district of Pathum Thani and at a poultry processing plant in Muang district of Saraburi.

Of the 178 deaths today, there were 92 men and 86 women. Bangkok logged 64 deaths, Samut Prakan, 20, 9 each in Nakhon Pathom and Nonthaburi, 8 in Pathum Thani, 7 in Pattani, 6 each in Chon Buri and Nakhon Nayok, 4 in Samut Sakhon, 3 each in Yala, Sa Kaeo, Saraburi, Phetchaburi and Suphan Buri, 2 each in Narathiwat, Nakhon Ratchasima, Maha Sarakham, Si Sa Ket, Ubon Ratchathani, Phetchabun and Chachoengsao and 1 case each in Trang, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phuket, Surin, Kalasin, Roi-et, Sukhothai, Chainat, Kamphaeng Phet, Phitsanuloke, Rayong, Prachin Buri, Trat, Sing Buri, Ayutthaya and Prachuap Khiri Khan.

 

Source: Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS)