Covid-19 News & Updates

[Big Boy]

Today's Brief:

[joelle]

Each province's daily domestic COVID-19 cases update in Thailand on Saturday 22nd May
FB link for reference: https://www.facebook.com/nbtworld

[PeteC]

24 Covid fatalities, 3,052 new cases

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

The Public Health Ministry on Saturday reported 24 new Covid-19 fatalities and 3,052 cases, bringing the toll to 759 deaths and 126,118 cases.

Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said of the new cases, 2,406 were in the general population, 605 in prisons and 41 were imported cases.

Since the third and worst wave of Covid-19 started on April 1, the number of cases has risen to 97,255. Of the total, 54,978 have already recovered.

Another 2,900 patients were confirmed fully recovered and discharged from hospitals on Friday.

Of the cumulative 126,118 cases since last year, 82,404 had recovered and 42,955 were still in hospitals, including 1,216 in critical condition and 409 on ventilators. The cumulative number of fatalities rose to 759.

Dr Taweesilp said the 24 new fatalities were aged 31-96 years. Half of them were men.

Of the new deaths, 13 were in Bangkok, three in Samut Prakan, two each in Chiang Mai and Ratchaburi, and one each in Nonthaburi, Surat Thani, Yasothon and Nakhon Nayok.

Eleven of them had high blood pressure and eight had diabetes. Other underlying conditions and risk factors were chronic kidney disease, high cholesterol, heart disease, obesity and cancer, chronic lung disease, stroke and pregnancy. Seven had said they had not had any existing conditions.

Four had caught Covid-19 from family members, nine had contracted it from other people, seven visited outbreak areas, three went to markets and crowded places and one had an at-risk career.

The 41 imported cases were quarantined arrivals from Malaysia (1), the Maldives (2), the Philippines (1), Saudi Arabia (1), Japan (1) and Cambodia (35). All but one of them — a Filipina — were Thais.

Bangkok still recorded the most cases at 1,191, followed by 437 in Phetchaburi, 99 in Nonthaburi, 94 in Samut Prakan, 71 in Chon Buri, 68 in Pathum Thani, 49 in Samut Sakhon, 43 in Yala, 29 in Ratchaburi, 20 each in Tak, Songkhla, Surat Thani and Nakhon Pathom.

Twenty provinces did not report new Covid-19 cases in the previous 24 hours. They were Nakhon Sawan, Phitsanulok, Lamphun, Lampang, Phetchabun, Trat, Sukhothai, Kalasin, Phayao, Sing Buri, Loei, Uttaradit, Phrae, Chai Nat, Nong Khai, Phangnga, Mae Hong son, Amnat Charoen, Nong Bua Lam Phu, and Mukdahan.

Global Covid cases rose by 620,715 in the past 24 hours to 166.46 million. The worldwide death toll went up 12,723 to 3.45 million. India had 254,395 new cases for a total of 26.28 million and 4,143 new deaths for a toll of 295,508.

[HHTel]

From FB:

New cases: 3,382 including 460 from the prison system.

Deaths: 17

2,131 recoveries.
100,637 cases since April 1st.

[PeteC]

Well, I think it's all here now, every variant known so far.

S African strain found among illegal migrants

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... l-migrants

Thailand has detected the South African variant of the coronavirus among a cluster of infected undocumented migrants in Narathiwat province.

Independent scientists and members of the Covid-19 Network Investigations group on Saturday reported to the Public Health Ministry that they found the B.1.351 variant, commonly known as the South African strain, from samples the ministry collected from the cluster in Tak Bai district on May 13.

The group said the strain contains spike mutations that may affect the reaction of the immune system and reduce the efficacy of most vaccines.

However, it said this does not mean that vaccines are ineffective in preventing infections, though Thailand may need to vaccinate more of the population to achieve herd immunity.

"The variant may impact human immunity response from the virus and reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine," said the alliance, which conducts genomics surveillance and research and has worked closely with the government during the pandemic.

"This does not mean that the vaccines do not work but there must be an increase in the ratio of population receiving the vaccine," the report said.

Thailand detected the South African variant on Feb 15 in a man who had travelled from Tanzania and was put under the mandatory quarantine upon arrival.

But the discovery of a domestic transmission of the variant could complicate the country's efforts to tackle its worst Covid-19 outbreak so far.

Dr Thiravat Hemachudha, head of the Center for Emerging Disease Health Sciences at the Faculty of Medicine at Chulalongkorn University, said finding the South African strain outside of quarantine centres implies that the strain is spreading in Thailand.

He urged the government to speed up its vaccination campaign.

[HHTel]

But the discovery of a domestic transmission of the variant could complicate the country's efforts to tackle its worst Covid-19 outbreak so far.

Dr Thiravat Hemachudha, head of the Center for Emerging Disease Health Sciences at the Faculty of Medicine at Chulalongkorn University, said finding the South African strain outside of quarantine centres implies that the strain is spreading in Thailand.

He urged the government to speed up its vaccination campaign.

Thailand relaxed for most of last year and we were the envy of many countries. The government had the time to plan for these eventualities. Here we are in the last week of May, 5 months after vaccines became available. And we're stuck with Sinovac for the time being.

This from way back in December:

Thailand says a local laboratory's pact with Britain's AstraZeneca will make the Southeast Asian country the regional hub for supplies of what's likely to be one of the leading vaccines against COVID-19 as governments scramble to lock in supplies.

Bangkok-based Siam Bioscience signed a letter of intent with AstraZeneca late last month to make 200 million doses of the British pharmaceutical firm's COVID-19 vaccine, AZD1222, said Nakorn Premsri, director of Thailand's National Vaccine Institute.

[PeteC]

More details when published

COVID-19 in Thailand Update (May 23, 2021)
.
As of Sunday, 1,210 (-6) patients are in critical condition, with 412 (+3) of them relying on ventilator. About 1.46 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, with 1,898,332 (+48,939) people received the first dose, while 966,759 (+4,603) received the second dose.
.
Thailand discovers first known local cases of South African variant of COVID-19, or B.1.351, among three samples collected from patients in a cluster of infections at the border town of Tak Bai, Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control, said.
.
The index case, or the first documented patient, was identified as a 32-year-old Thai man who illegally crossed the border from Malaysia on April 12. Opas said the situation is under control after the town was placed under lockdown. All three patients who contracted the variant of COVID-19 have been discharged from hospitals.
.
Opas said the variant may reduce the efficacy of the vaccines, but they can still minimize severe symptoms. The variant is said to be as contagious as the U.K. and Indian strains found in Thailand. It does not cause more severe disease, he said.

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[joelle]

Each province's daily domestic COVID-19 cases update in Thailand on Sunday 23rd May
FB link for reference: https://www.facebook.com/nbtworld

[PeteC]

17 Covid fatalities, 3,382 new cases Sunday

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... ses-sunday

Thailand on Sunday reported 17 new Covid-19 fatalities, bringing the accumulated toll to 776, and 3,382 new cases for a running total of 129,500 since the start of the pandemic in January 2020.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said 15 new deaths had been reported in Bangkok and one each in Songkhla and Chiang Mai.

Of the new cases, 2,922 were in the general population and 460 in prisons.

The capital continued to lead new transmissions with 983 cases, followed by 968 in Phetchaburi. Samut Prakan, Nonthaburi and Chachoengsao rounded out the top five with 181, 107 and 103 new infections, respectively.

The high number of cases in Phetchaburi was largely from mass testing at the Cal-Comp Electronics factory in Khao Yoi district.

The factory remained closed and workers living in dormitories were prohibited from leaving the compound. The province also locked down other workers in tambon Sra Phang and Bang Khem, where the plant is located, for fears the cluster could expand.

The province said on Sunday it had set up 14 checkpoints to prevent labourers leaving the district.

The CCSA said imported cases included four Thais who illegally crossed the border from Malaysia and one Thai returnee who passed through an immigration checkpoint in Aranyaprathet district of Sa Kaeo.

[Big Boy]

Today's Brief:

[handdrummer]

Well, I think it's all here now, every variant known so far.

S African strain found among illegal migrants

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... l-migrants

Thailand has detected the South African variant of the coronavirus among a cluster of infected undocumented migrants in Narathiwat province.

Independent scientists and members of the Covid-19 Network Investigations group on Saturday reported to the Public Health Ministry that they found the B.1.351 variant, commonly known as the South African strain, from samples the ministry collected from the cluster in Tak Bai district on May 13.

The group said the strain contains spike mutations that may affect the reaction of the immune system and reduce the efficacy of most vaccines.

However, it said this does not mean that vaccines are ineffective in preventing infections, though Thailand may need to vaccinate more of the population to achieve herd immunity.

"The variant may impact human immunity response from the virus and reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine," said the alliance, which conducts genomics surveillance and research and has worked closely with the government during the pandemic.

"This does not mean that the vaccines do not work but there must be an increase in the ratio of population receiving the vaccine," the report said.

Thailand detected the South African variant on Feb 15 in a man who had travelled from Tanzania and was put under the mandatory quarantine upon arrival.

But the discovery of a domestic transmission of the variant could complicate the country's efforts to tackle its worst Covid-19 outbreak so far.

Dr Thiravat Hemachudha, head of the Center for Emerging Disease Health Sciences at the Faculty of Medicine at Chulalongkorn University, said finding the South African strain outside of quarantine centres implies that the strain is spreading in Thailand.

He urged the government to speed up its vaccination campaign.

"Thailand may need to vaccinate more of the population to achieve herd immunity." Really? Who'd a thunk it?

[hhinner]

Levelling up in England. The south had its Kent variant. Now the north has a Yorkshire variant.

Covid: Investigation into 'Yorkshire' variant

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-57199475

[HHTel]

From FB 24th May

New cases: 2,713 including 206 from the prison system.
Deaths: 30

1,565 New recoveries.
103,350 cases since Apr 1st.

[PeteC]

More details when published.

COVID-19 in Thailand Update (May 24, 2021)
.
As of Monday, 1,169 (-41) patients are in critical condition, with 406 (-6) of them relying on ventilator. About 1.46 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, with 1,941,565 (+43,233) people received the first dose, while 969,099 (+2,340) received the second dose.

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[joelle]

Ranking of 10 provinces with highest COVID-19 transmission, as of 24th May 2021