Thailand reports three new coronavirus cases, no new deaths

[webfact]

Thailand reports three new coronavirus cases, no new deaths

 

FILE PHOTO: Reuters

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand on Thursday reported three new coronavirus cases, bringing its total to 2,992, a senior official said.

 

Of the new cases, two were Thai men who had returned from Kazakhstan and have been in state quarantine, said Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman of the government's Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration.

 

The third case was a 59-year-old Thai woman in the southern province of Yala, he said.

 

Thailand has recorded 55 fatalities from the coronavirus since the outbreak began in Januaray. Authorities have been cautiously allowing some businesses to reopen this week after weeks of near-lockdown.

 

(Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng and Panarat Thepgumpanat)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-05-07

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[petermik]

If true more good news.....

[whiteman]

yes if true

[Guderian]

Well Pattaya's been over three weeks without a new case, yet our beaches are still closed and forbidden so as to avoid attracting the supposedly disease-ridden denizens of Bangkok at the weekends. What we need now is for Bangkok to be declared a White Zone, and then perhaps the authorities will be relaxed for them to visit Pattaya and Jomtien once more and the beaches can reopen.

[ThailandRyan]

Every day is a new day and a new revelation. From 0 cases to 3 to zero being from Thailand except in Yala. Whats to believe besides the fact it would be nice for them to actively test in all provibces. Not just because you meet such tough PUI guidelines then they test....

[cyril sneer]

the second wave begins

[superal]

9 minutes ago, Guderian said:

Well Pattaya's been over three weeks without a new case, yet our beaches are still closed and forbidden so as to avoid attracting the supposedly disease-ridden denizens of Bangkok at the weekends. What we need now is for Bangkok to be declared a White Zone, and then perhaps the authorities will be relaxed for them to visit Pattaya and Jomtien once more and the beaches can reopen.

Do people swim in the sea off Pattaya or Jomtien beaches ? I have been told the water is filthy and contaminated with hotel sewage , or is that an exaggeration ? Is the water ever tested for pollutants ?

[johng]

11 minutes ago, superal said:

Do people swim in the sea off Pattaya or Jomtien beaches ?

Not me,  but I see ( well not now obviously)  lots of Russians on the beaches and swimming.

 

12 minutes ago, superal said:

I have been told the water is filthy and contaminated with hotel sewage

For some sick twisted reason  the  roped off swimming areas are often right next to the outflow pipes !

 

13 minutes ago, superal said:

Is the water ever tested for pollutants ?

Never seen any results published.

[Boomer6969]

27 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Every day is a new day and a new revelation. From 0 cases to 3 to zero being from Thailand except in Yala. Whats to believe besides the fact it would be nice for them to actively test in all provibces. Not just because you meet such tough PUI guidelines then they test....

I am Minister A Nuttin; from 0 to 3 is an infinity% increase, hence we must ban alcohol sales and lock down again.

[JCP108]

In feedback I get from my wife and her friends: Thai people are seemingly believing the reports that Thailand is essentially free of Covid-19 (as long as you haven't just returned from a dirty foreign country or aren't in Yala). So, the lockdown will have to officially stop or Thai people are just going to ignore it (as they mostly have been in my area of BKK). If there really are a lot more cases than they are telling us about (my guess), then they will eventually have to report at least enough to keep enough of the will of the populace to go along with the restrictions. Otherwise...?

[Traubert]

Good numbers Thailand.

 

Well done.

[smedly]

1 hour ago, superal said:

Do people swim in the sea off Pattaya or Jomtien beaches ? I have been told the water is filthy and contaminated with hotel sewage , or is that an exaggeration ? Is the water ever tested for pollutants ?

maybe the health dept refuse to go near it to get a sample - dirty unwashed farang have been swimming in there

Edited May 7, 2020 by smedly

[SantiSuk]

5 minutes ago, smedly said:

maybe the health dept refuse to go near it to get a sample - dirty unwashed farang have been swimming in there

More likely - don't test if you think you might not like the answer. Same same Covid-19.

[DrTuner]

Here's an interesting graph of mobility changes (as per Apple / Google ) and the number of reported new infections:

 

 

Comes from asymco, asymco.com. Let's zoom in on Thailand:

 

 

The black line show the reduction in mobility due to lockdowns. The problem with that is, usually it takes about 2 weeks for the lockdown to start effecting the diagnosis count. Also it's pretty ragged. As can seen at the end (and this is a bit old already), it deviates from the fitted graph. That's either Thais starting to ignore the lockdowns, or a testing anomaly, or both. Given Thailand's very limited capability for testing, I'd sway towards testing problem.

 

That said, yes it has an effect as it should. If they want to open it up without bringing the R0 back to what it was, they have to start properly testing and tracing. It seems the problem is getting enough testing kits. If that is because the usurpers are too stingy to share their trough or they are hard to get in the current market is a good question.

[vermin on arrival]

3 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

Here's an interesting graph of mobility changes (as per Apple / Google ) and the number of reported new infections:

 

 

Comes from asymco, asymco.com. Let's zoom in on Thailand:

 

 

The black line show the reduction in mobility due to lockdowns. The problem with that is, usually it takes about 2 weeks for the lockdown to start effecting the diagnosis count. Also it's pretty ragged. As can seen at the end (and this is a bit old already), it deviates from the fitted graph. That's either Thais starting to ignore the lockdowns, or a testing anomaly, or both. Given Thailand's very limited capability for testing, I'd sway towards testing problem.

 

That said, yes it has an effect as it should. If they want to open it up without bringing the R0 back to what it was, they have to start properly testing and tracing. It seems the problem is getting enough testing kits. If that is because the usurpers are too stingy to share their trough or they are hard to get in the current market is a good question.

Very interesting DrTuner. Let's hope it really gives us cause for some cautious optimism. Obviously the powers that be need to do more to make it have a continuing impact.

[webfact]

Thailand sees only one new Covid-19 case in past 24 hours (Update)

By THE NATION

 

 

There was only one new confirmed Covid-19 case – the lowest in months – over a 24-hour period and no deaths, Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesman of the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said today (May 5).

 

The number of Covid-19 patients now stands at 2,988, with 2,747 having recovered and been discharged, while 194 are under hospital treatment. The number of deaths remains at 54.

 

The latest new case was a diabetic 45-year-old man living in Narathiwat province. He experienced difficulty in breathing and had pneumonia, which lead to his hospitalistion and Covid-19 detection. He had travelled for religious proposes and had earlier come into contact with a person who was infected.

 

Some 40 people in Yala, who were initially thought to have Covid-19 but whose samples proved negative in a second test, are still under investigation and a final report is expected this afternoon.

 

According to the Department of Disease Control, the confirmed cases in Thailand include Burmese (53), Chinese (34), French (29), British (21) and people from other countries (43).

 

The spokesman said that since April 7, 50,741 patients have been under investigation. Of these, 767 were confirmed as being infected with Covid-19.

 

According to Taweesin, nine provinces have recorded no cases since the start of the outbreak – Chainat, Trat, Sing Buri, Kamphaeng Phet, Nan, Phichit, Buengkan, Ranong and Satun.

 

Meanwhile, 34 provinces have recorded no cases in the past 28 days – Phetchaburi, Kanchanaburi, Chanthaburi, Nakhon Nayok, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Rayong, Ratchaburi, Lop Buri, Samut Songkhram, Sa Kaeo, Saraburi, Chiang Rai, Phetchabun, Phrae, Mae Hong Son, Tak, Lamphun, Sukhothai, Uttaradit, Uthai Thani, Kalasin, Buri Ram, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Yasothon, Roi Et, Si Sa Ket, Sakon Nakhon, Surin, Nong Khai, Nong Bua Lamphu, Amnat Charoen, Udon Thani, and Ubon Ratchathani.

 

And these 34 provinces have seen Covid-19 cases in the past 28 days: Bangkok, Chachoengsao, Chon Buri, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Prachin Buri, Ayutthaya, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Suphan Buri, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Sawan, Phayao, Phitsanulok, Lampang, Loei, Khon Kaen, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Krabi, Chumphon, Trang, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Narathiwat, Pattani, Phang-nga, Phatthalung, Phuket, Yala, Songkhla and Surat Thani.

 

Globally, there have been more than 3.5 million confirmed cases and around 250,000 deaths.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30387307

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-05-07

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[DrTuner]

18 minutes ago, vermin on arrival said:

Let's hope it really gives us cause for some cautious optimism. Obviously the powers that be need to do more to make it have a continuing impact.

It does look better. But there's a problem opening up if they are unable to ramp up testing. This longish series of articles describes it pretty well: https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coronavirus-learning-how-to-dance-b8420170203e

 

'So far so good'.

 

Here's the 5.5.2020 update:

http://www.asymco.com/

 

Edited May 7, 2020 by DrTuner

[ParkerN]

I'm sorry, this is just not credible. I can't listen to this nonsense any more with a straight face.

 

I'm going down the pub.

 

 

[DrTuner]

1 minute ago, ParkerN said:

I'm sorry, this is just not credible. I can't listen to this nonsense any more with a straight face.

 

I'm going down the pub.

Enjoy your green tea ????

 

It's this that is starting to sway my opinion:

In other words, Thailand might have gotten lucky - so far. What happens next is pure policy decisions and I'm not positive at all, not with the hapless usurpers as a roadblock. A technocrat temporary government would be the best solution, not happening.

[keith101]

I just saw the number as 2992 after 227,860 tests and 55 deaths from    https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries

[spermwhale]

2 hours ago, whiteman said:

yes if true

I think it's as true as the testing allows. I don't think the government is purposely deflating the true figures to justify opening up the country more quickly. If that were the case, they would have deflated cases much more quickly and had the country open again on May 1. 

 

Likewise, if they were intent on making people stay indoors more they would inflate the figures to justify their actions. 

I think the cautious approach they are taking combined with the low reported new case counts should give us hope the country is on the right track. 

 

 

[khwaibah]

Smell a rat..

 

 

[DrTuner]

34 minutes ago, spermwhale said:

I think it's as true as the testing allows. I don't think the government is purposely deflating the true figures to justify opening up the country more quickly. If that were the case, they would have deflated cases much more quickly and had the country open again on May 1. 

 

Likewise, if they were intent on making people stay indoors more they would inflate the figures to justify their actions. 

I think the cautious approach they are taking combined with the low reported new case counts should give us hope the country is on the right track. 

The way Thais do number propaganda is to pick a key indicator fitting their agenda, but the underlying data is usually valid. Like TAT, immigration entries are touted as tourists, although some may take the next flight out of the country after clearing immigration. MoPH chose the "Confrmed cases" indicator as their KPI.

 

The shape of the curve as per asymco seems to somewhat fit. The height of it is suspect.

 

The number of tests directly affects the risk for easing lockdowns, especially since there seems to be strains that were imported from EU in late Feb/early March (Check nextstrain, search for "Thai" in strains, NIH/MoPH uploaded more genomes). 

Edited May 7, 2020 by DrTuner

[vermin on arrival]

This article from the Taiwan News tells something about what the international community thinks about what is going on in Thailand. It's talking about the opening of an air bubble w/out quarantine between NZ, Taiwan, and Aus and probably South Korea and Hong Kong as nations who have gotten covid under control. If the international community took Thailand's numbers seriously it would be included. Yet it is not. I still hope to be able to return to Taiwan sometime soon(very doubtful) and resume my life there which has been crushed.

https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3929574

[smedly]

2 hours ago, SantiSuk said:

More likely - don't test if you think you might not like the answer. Same same Covid-19.

555 you think if they did test it they would publish the true results - that is is full of sewage - I don't think so 

 

Beaches in the west are tested every year and if they don't meet stringent health standards they are closed - simple

[cyril sneer]

2 hours ago, DrTuner said:

It seems the problem is getting enough testing kits. If that is because the usurpers are too stingy to share their trough or they are hard to get in the current market is a good question

most likely the former

[DrTuner]

Here:

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.29.069054v2.full.pdf

 

This is what I've been suspecting. Asia got an unmutated strain pre-March. Antibody testing could possibly confirm this. And now it's making it's way back from EU/US.

 

More discussion here: 

 

 

[Artisi]

4 hours ago, superal said:

Do people swim in the sea off Pattaya or Jomtien beaches ? I have been told the water is filthy and contaminated with hotel sewage , or is that an exaggeration ? Is the water ever tested for pollutants ?

Test why test - it's beautiful Thai water.... 

[vermin on arrival]

Here's another one about Korean Air reopening 19 air routes in June. Again Bangkok is not mentioned. This could be because of Thailand's entry ban and not covid cases as Frankfurt, Washington DC, and Singapore are in the expanded routes. Maybe this post might be considered off topic and is not relevant to covid cases.

https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3929712

[nausea]

Yeah, I agrèe, Thailand will be the testng ground. Get away with it in Thailand, get away with it anywhere.