Covid-19 News & Updates

[HHTel]

We've now exceeded the cases in the UK today. We all know how things went there. The difference being - they have a vaccine and we don't.

[hhinner]

All the important people have been vaccinated, so no problem. Get the tourists in.

[PeteC]

Phuket rapid tests identify four COVID carriers on arrival

https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-ra ... -79785.php

PHUKET: The rapid antigen tests now being conducted on people arriving in Phuket from red-zone provinces elsewhere in the country have already identified four people as COVID positive on the first day of the tests being in effect, Phuket Vice Governor Piyapong Choowong has confirmed.

Vice Governor Piyapong confirmed the news in a daily briefing video posted online last night (Apr 23).

As of Thursday, all people arriving in Phuket from the 17 other red zone provinces (Phuket itself has been designated a red-zone province) must undergo a rapid antigen test if they are unable to prove that they are fully vaccinated and unable to prove they have tested negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours before arriving, explained again last night for Thai-language viewers.

If people coming to Phuket cannot prove that they are fully vaccinated or prove they have tested negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours before arriving, they will be required to be tested, he repeated.

At Phuket airport on Thursday (Apr 22), the first day that tests were required, 1,051 people arrived to enter the province, Vice Governor Piyapong said.

Of those, 958 were tested, resulting in two people being identified as COVID positive,

At the Phuket Check Point, at Tha Chatchai, also on Thursday, a total of 9,338 people arrived across the only bridge onto Phuket, Vice Governor Piyapong continued.

Of those, 1,290 arrivals underwent the rapid test, which requires a nasal swab,

“That saw another two people testing positive for COVID-19,” he said.

Although the first day saw long queues at the airport as people waited to be tested, Vice Governor Piyapong last night said that the testing process itself takes “only about 15-20 minutes”.

The process had little effect on delaying arrivals at the airport, he added.

“At Tha Chatchai, it is the same,” he said.

All arrivals must follow the COVID-prevention measures, Vice Governor added.

“You must wear a mask 100%, everywhere you go, and wash your hands often. This is the new normal, wherever you go, shops, restaurants, etc. Everything, everyone must follow the ‘New Normal’,” he said.

Vice Governor Piyapong also confirmed that yesterday Phuket health officials had reported 13 new confirmed COVID infections on the island, bringing the total number of infections during the current outbreak to 292.

Of those, 252 people were receiving “hospital care”, and 40 people had been released from hospital care and allowed to return home.

Vice Governor Piyapong also repeated the explanation that a second ‘field hospital’ is being set up at the Phuket Rajabhat University (PRU) campus north of Phuket Town.

Phuket’s ‘Field Hospital 1’, set up at the Prince of Songkhla University Phuket campus in Kathu, has 170 beds and is currently caring for “70-80” people infected with COVID-19, he said.

The Field Hospital at Phuket Rajabhat University will be brought into use only after ‘Field Hospital 1’ at the PSU campus is full, he said.

[handdrummer]

My wife heard on the news, that the PM is asking the Thai people if he should lock down the country? (Does he ask permission to pee too?) Of the people who responded, nearly 100% said yes. I don't know how many responded nor what "nearly" means. I'm just the messenger.

In Cambodia, everyone must wear a mask outside. Police officers ride around, 2 on a motorbike, and if they see you not wearing a mask, the one on the back, carrying a stick, beats you. The wife saw this on TV.

Dontcha just love the 18th century?

[Big Boy]

In Cambodia, everyone must wear a mask outside. Police officers ride around, 2 on a motorbike, and if they see you not wearing a mask, the one on the back, carrying a stick, beats you. The wife saw this on TV.

Thailand could use a bit of the same.

[Big Boy]

Today's daily brief:

[PeteC]

Eight Covid deaths, record 2,839 new cases

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... -new-cases

Eight Covid-19 deaths and a record 2,839 new cases, 1,582 of which in Bangkok, were reported on Saturday, bringing the totals to 129 deaths and 53,022 cases.

Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said the eight deaths were six men and two women.

The 122nd death was an obese Thai man, 48, in Samut Prakan. He had visited an entertainment venue in Srinakharin area. On April 12, he had a fever, sore throat and diarrhea. On April 18, he tested positive and had pneumonia. He died on Thursday.

The123rd death was a Thai woman, 83, in Bangkok. She had diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol and was in contact with a confirmed case. On April 14, she had a fever and fatigue. Four days leater, she tested positive. She died on Thursday.

The 124th death was a Thai man, 89, in Bangkok. He was a bed-ridden patient with colon cancer in contact with a confirmed case. On Thursday, he had a cough, a fever and breathing difficulties. He tested positive the next day and died on the same day.

The 125th death was a Thai man, 63, in Bangkok. He had high blood pressure and gout and was in contact with a confirmed case. On April 11, he had a fever. On Thursday, he tested positive. He died the next day.

The 126th death was a Thai man, 68, in Chachoengsao. He had high blood pressure, high cholestero and cardiac arrhythmia. He was in contact with a confirmed case. On April 10, he had a fever and tested positive the next day. He died on Thursday.

The 127th death was a Thai woman, 82, in Samut Prakan. She had cervical cancer and was in contact with a confirmed case. On April 14, she tested positive. She died on Tuesday.

The 128th death was a Thai man, 75, in Nakhon Sawan. He had high blood pressure, high cholesterol and benign prostatic hyperplasia. He was in contact with a confirmed case. On April 9, he had a cough and a fever. He tested positive on April 11 and died on Thursday.

The 129th death was a Thai man, 62, in Nonthaburi who had a chronic kidney disease. He had visited an entertainment venue. On April 18, he had fatigue. On Wednesday, he tested positive. He died on Friday.

Of the 2,839 new cases over the past 24 hours, 2,827 were local infections and 12 were imported cases.

Of the local cases, 2,523 were confirmed in hospitals and 304 were found through active case finding.

The 12 imported cases were quarantined arrivals from India (7), the United Arab Emirates (2), Bahrain (1), Oman (1) and the United States (1). They were five Thai women and seven Indian men.

Total cases were now 53,022, of which 30,566 (57.6%) had recovered, including 377 discharged on Friday, and 22,327 were in hospital. Of the infected patients, 418 were critical, with 113 on ventilators.

Bangkok logged the highest number of new infections at 1,582 cases. Nine other provinces with high infections were Chiang Mai (151), Chon Buri (119), Nonthaburi (96), Samut Prakan (84), Pathum Thani (59), Samut Sakhon (57), Surat Thani (46), Nakhon Sawan (38), and Songkhla (34).

Globally, Covid-19 cases rose by 896,922 in 24 hours to 146.22 million. The worldwide death toll went up by 14,218 to 3.09 million.

The United States had the most cases at 32.73 million, up 66,515, and the most deaths at 585,075, up 790.

India came second with 16.60 million, up 345,147, the highest infections. Brazil was third with 14.23 million, up 65,971. Thailand ranked 105th.

[handdrummer]

A recent study, in the US, has shown that Covid-19 patients who took a low dose of aspirin daily, had fewer symptoms and recovered quicker than those that didn't take the aspirin. Fewer had to use the ventilator and fewer died. Not viable for those with kidney disease.

[joelle]

Today's update

[Dannie Boy]

What’s quite surprising/worrying is the brief time period between diagnosis and death - normally just a few days!!

[Big Boy]

Shops.jpg (82.4 KiB) Viewed 664 times

[HHTel]

With almost 12,000 stores in Thailand (admittedly not all in red zones) that's going to affect a huge number of young girls that work there. At best they only pay minimum wage now they're only open for 9 hours out of 24.

[handdrummer]

How does squeezing, say 500 people, that normally are spread out over 12 hrs. of shopping and putting them into a 9hr. time span, help control the spread of the virus?

[Dannie Boy]

How does squeezing, say 500 people, that normally are spread out over 12 hrs. of shopping and putting them into a 9hr. time span, help control the spread of the virus?

The same was as closing off u-turns and doubling up on the number of vehicles at the next turning point to improve safety - it doesn’t!!

[Big Boy]

It gives the illusion they are tackling the problem.