Covid-19 News & Updates

[HHTel]

After last Friday's meeting, my guess is that the CCSA will be disbanded in the near future. It's served it's purpose and no longer necessary.

Covid stats will probably go the same way.

[PeteC]

Note: The below link will lead to the full, updated story between 1300 and 1500 hours this afternoon

2,387 new Covid cases, 19 more deaths

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... ore-deaths

https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/

[PeteC]

Note: The below link will lead to the full, updated story between 1300 and 1500 hours this afternoon.

2,299 new Covid cases, 18 more deaths

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... ore-deaths

https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/

[PeteC]

Phuket is spiking again and numbers are up the last few days in general here, as well as in several other places in the world.

Covid-19 cases rising in Phuket

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... -in-phuket

PHUKET: The number of Covid-19 cases in Phuket has been rising over the last week, with more than half of local hospital beds now occupied, the provincial health chief said on Thursday.

Dr Koosak Kookiatkul said that on Wednesday 26 new cases were confirmed with RT-PCR tests and 294 others tested positive for the disease with antigen tests.

Of the positive antigen results, 285 were in Muang district and nine in Kathu district.

Dr Koosak said the number of Covid-19 cases began to rise in Phuket about six days ago.

There were 277 new cases on Saturday, 291 on Sunday, 180 on Monday, 293 on Tuesday and 320 on Wednesday.

There were 162 local hospital beds, of which 91 or 56% were now occupied.

Dr Koosak said the number of severely ill cases with lung inflammation was declining but people should still take the need to protect themselves from infection seriously.

Universal prevention was necessary including wearing of face masks in crowded places and vaccine booster shots, as disease controls would be further relaxed next month, he said.

[PeteC]

Covid-19 strains spur fears

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... spur-fears

The government is monitoring two new Omicron subvariants in Europe as Thailand prepares for an influx of international arrivals from next month when entry rules are eased further.

Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said on Wednesday Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha instructed the Public Health Ministry to monitor the Covid-19 situation in Europe after cases of the two subvariants -- BA.4 and BA.5 -- were detected in countries such as Portugal, the UK, Austria, the Netherlands, France and Germany.

State agencies have also been instructed to plan ahead to deal with the expected surge in foreign arrivals after the Thailand Pass registration requirement is revoked on July 1, the spokesman said.

Supakit Sirilak, director-general of the Department of Medical Sciences (DMSC), said people should not jump to conclusions about the new subvariants, to avoid causing public panic.

The subvariants were already on the radar of the DMSC which is studying them to learn more about their characteristics, he said.

"Initially, we have found they can evade immunity better than previous strains. Most new mutations are often able to escape immunity," he said.

Dr Supakist said health authorities have collected samples of the subvariants, though it may take up to five weeks to determine how they differ from previous strains.

If anyone is suspected of having either of the new subvariants and is admitted to hospital, samples will be taken and sent to the DMSC for examination as part of the probe, Dr Supakit said.

The permanent secretary for the Public Health Ministry, Kiattiphum Wongrajit, said the number of new cases of Covid-19 and seriously ill patients has stabilised and started to decline.

Most new cases are in Bangkok, nearby provinces and major provinces, Dr Kiattiphum said, adding most deaths were still among members of the so-called "608 group" who did not receive booster shots.

The group comprises people aged 60 years and older, those with underlying diseases and pregnant women.

He stressed the need for people to receive booster shots to prevent the worst effects of the virus.

Dr Kiattiphum said 139.3 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered.

Of those, 81.8% were first shots, 76.2% second doses, and 42.3% third or booster shots -- still below the target of 60%, he said.

According to the Centre for Medical Genomics at Ramathibodi Hospital, Thailand has recorded 49 new cases of the two new Omicron subvariants, which are considered more contagious.

Wasun Chantratita, who heads the centre, previously said 26 cases of BA.5, 23 cases of BA.4 and 18 cases of BA.2.12.1 had been detected in the kingdom since April.

He cited data from Gisaid, the global data science initiative, to back up his remarks.

Dr Wasun said the figure was based on random tests so the true number of infections could be considerably higher.

The patients were admitted to hospital and their condition was described as manageable.

"Omicron is not the last variant of Covid-19," he said. Dr Wasun added most of the patients infected with the subvariants had come from overseas.

[HHTel]

'Flu mutates all the time. We don't see the same level of concern to that.

[PeteC]

'Flu mutates all the time. We don't see the same level of concern to that.

Yes, true, but Phuket seems concerning at the moment. Unless they are hyping it up unnecessarily.

Of course if you're a cynic, hospital sources of revenue are also down as Covid subsides.

[PeteC]

Covid hospitalisations up in Bangkok with reopening of nightspots

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... nightspots

[PeteC]

Note: The below link will lead to the full, updated story between 1300 and 1500 hours this afternoon.

2,313 new Covid cases, 16 more deaths

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... ore-deaths

https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/

[PeteC]

Pre-Covid business, free arrival restored

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/23 ... l-restored

The government has declared the whole nation a green (Covid-19 surveillance) zone, allowing the full-scale resumption of business and other activities, as pre-arrival registration will end next month.

The Royal Gazette on Friday published the announcement to the effects by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in his capacity as the director of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

Dated on Thursday, the announcement lifted Covid-related restrictions on business and activities according to green zone regulations immediately. Entertainment places can resume their pre-Covid closing hours, either midnight, 1am or 2am depending on relevant regulations.

From July 1 visitors will not have to do pre-travel arrival registration and quarantine rules will also end. No Covid-19 insurance will be required.

For fully vaccinated arrivals, those aged 18 years and over will show proofs of their vaccination that occurred at least 14 days before their travel.

Those aged from five to 17 years are required to have received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccination at least 14 days before travel. Vaccination certificates will not be required from people under 18 years old who travel with guardians.

Those arriving through land checkpoints and holding border passes can stay in specified areas in the country no longer than three days.

Arrivals are advised to follow disease control measures and conduct antigen tests by themselves. Those testing positive will be responsible for their own treatment costs.

Unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated arrivals will present negative results of their RT-PCR or professional antigen tests conducted within 72 hours before travel.

Those without such test results will comply with orders from disease control officials. They will be responsible for test and treatment costs. The CCSA earlier announced that such arrivals would be randomised for Covid-19 tests.

Those testing negative can travel in the country and will comply with health measures. They were asked to conduct antigen tests by themselves during their stay.

[PeteC]

Note: The below link will lead to the full, updated story between 1300 and 1500 hours this afternoon.

2,236 new Covid cases, 16 more deaths

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... ore-deaths

https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/

[PeteC]

Note: The below link will lead to the full, updated story between 1300 and 1500 hours this afternoon.

2,378 new Covid cases, 17 more deaths

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... ore-deaths

https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/

[PeteC]

Note: The below link will lead to the full, updated story between 1300 and 1500 hours this afternoon.

1,735 new Covid cases, 15 more deaths

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... ore-deaths

https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/

[PeteC]

Note: The below link will lead to the full, updated story between 1300 and 1500 hours this afternoon.

1,761 new Covid cases, 13 more deaths

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... ore-deaths

https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/

[buksida]

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnveerakul has been infected with COVID-19. His doctor has ordered him to be isolated for a week. Anutin recently took his sixth shot of the vaccine and just returned from a meeting in Paris.

Source: Khaosod English Fayboo


Karma baby! Oh, he'll be blaming those dirty Europeans for infecting him ... six shots eh, good luck with that nutball.