BANGKOK (Reuters) -  Thailand on Sunday set a record for the daily number of COVID-19 deaths for the second consecutive day, just as authorities step up the response to a rapid third wave of infection after about a year of relative success slowing the novel coronavirus' spread.

 

The government reported 2,438 new coronavirus cases and 11 new deaths, bringing the total number of infections to 55,460 and fatalities to 140 since the pandemic started last year.

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on his Facebook page on Saturday said provincial governors can close public venues and impose curfews if necessary to stop the virus spreading.

 

Authorities in the capital city of Bangkok have ordered the closure of venues including parks, gyms, cinemas and day-care centres from April 26 through May 9.

 

Shopping malls remain open but the Thai Retailers Association has restricted store opening hours in Bangkok as well as in 17 more of the country's 73 provinces.

 

Thailand kept its number of infection cases far lower than many other countries throughout last year, but a new outbreak, spurred partly by the highly transmissible B.1.1.7 variant, has resulted in over 24,000 cases and 46 deaths in just 25 days.

 

The rising figures have prompted concern over the number of hospital beds, particularly as government policy is to admit anyone testing positive for the novel coronavirus, even those without symptoms.

 

Health officials have insisted there are still over 20,000 available beds nationwide.

 

To free beds quicker, the prime minister has said health authorities are considering reducing the quarantine period for asymptomatic cases to 10 days from 14, with the remaining four days to be spent in self-isolation at home.

 

(Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um; Editing by Christopher Cushing)

 

This post may be updated without notice

 

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-04-24

 

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Down from yesterday. The threat of heavy fines for not wearing a face mask is clearly already taking affect.

 

 

Horrible numbers, I think we're going to range in the late 2000's for another day or so before unfortunately dog legging up to take us into the 3000's. 

 

Hospital beds going to be at critical stage. I'm disgusted at this Governments lack of will do do the right thing.

RIP to those who passed away. 

This is absolutely out  of control yet   still no word of full a national lock-down?
 

Now should take head out from behind! Make test station for free 10-20 place every province! And make some kind home quarantine option! 

 

Bangkok to close 31 venue types for 2 weeks and mandates mask wearing

 

"Bangkok’s Communicable Disease Committee has decided to close 31 types of venues and make it compulsory for everyone to wear a face mask when they are outdoors, effective for 2 weeks, starting Monday.

 

Pol Cpt Pongsakorn Kwanmuang, spokesman for the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA), said that the new restrictions were announced after a meeting of the Communicable Disease Committee, chaired by Governor Aswin Kwanmuang, to cope with the rapid spread of COVID-19 in Bangkok, where 1,582 new infections were recorded on Saturday alone."

 

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/bangkok-to-close-31-venue-types-for-2-weeks-and-mandates-mask-wearing/

 

The expanded list of businesses ordered closed in Bangkok -- beyond the ongoing closure of pubs, bars, and other entertainment venues nationwide -- includes: fitness centers and gyms, traditional Thai massage shops, libraries, movie theaters, internet shops, museums, public swimming pools, daycare centers for seniors, beauty clinics and more.

 

Another measure of the order is reinstituting a prior rule in Bangkok of requiring sit-down restaurants to separate diners with two meters distance or placing a physical divider between them. That was a short-lived rule in Bangkok's prior real COVID lockdown period.

 

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https://www.facebook.com/ThaiEnquirer/posts/306562014164672

 

 

 

6 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Horrible numbers, I think we're going to range in the late 2000's for another day or so before unfortunately dog legging up to take us into the 3000's. 

 

Hospital beds going to be at critical stage. I'm disgusted at this Governments lack of will do do the right thing.

 

I suggest it's 2 points:

 

1.   ....lack of will... .

2. .....Lack of capability to quickly get organized, plan, allocate the correct professional resources and very promptly manage the whole situation and very promptly get active.

 

 

In another order issued overnight aimed at freeing up more beds in the country's emerging network of COVID field hospitals, the Ministry of Public Health ruled that COVID patients with no symptoms or minor symptoms can be allowed to serve the last few days of their quarantine recovering at home.

 

The order means a COVID patient with no symptoms would be allowed to leave after 10 days instead of 14 days, and instead spend the remaining days at home. A similar arrangement would be allowed for COVID patients with mild symptoms, once they have progressed in their field hospital stay and been symptom free for 24-48 hours.

 

Under the government's current policy, anyone testing positive for COVID is required to be assigned to a hospital bed or alternate hospital facility, such as the makeshift field hospitals, until they have recovered. Under the government's rules, only patients with no symptoms or mild symptoms -- who still can be contagious with COVID -- are supposed to be assigned to the field hospital facilities.

 

https://www.facebook.com/informationcovid19/posts/312248753726789

 

I look forward to the day when they stop reporting this, day in, day out, we get it !

Noisy case numbers again...but at least in a good direction. Hopefully we see a positive trend develop soon.

2 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

I look forward to the day when they stop reporting this, day in, day out, we get it !

That day is well in the future...

14 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Bangkok to close 31 venue types for 2 weeks and mandates mask wearing

 

"Bangkok’s Communicable Disease Committee has decided to close 31 types of venues and make it compulsory for everyone to wear a face mask when they are outdoors, effective for 2 weeks, starting Monday.

 

Pol Cpt Pongsakorn Kwanmuang, spokesman for the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA), said that the new restrictions were announced after a meeting of the Communicable Disease Committee, chaired by Governor Aswin Kwanmuang, to cope with the rapid spread of COVID-19 in Bangkok, where 1,582 new infections were recorded on Saturday alone."

 

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/bangkok-to-close-31-venue-types-for-2-weeks-and-mandates-mask-wearing/

 

The expanded list of businesses ordered closed in Bangkok -- beyond the ongoing closure of pubs, bars, and other entertainment venues nationwide, includes: fitness centers and gyms, traditional Thai massage shops, libraries, movie theaters, internet shops, museums, public swimming pools, daycare centers for seniors, beauty clinics and more.

 

Strange mask wearing wasn't already required...seeing as Bangkok has been th epicenter of new cases for weeks now.

5 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Noisy case numbers again...but at least in a good direction. Hopefully we see a positive trend develop soon.

Praying that will happen man! 

Although i'm  not so confident that that's gonna be the case. i certainly hope that i'm wrong tho! 

Chonburi hospital is full and sending covid patients to Sattahip. Plus. Their staff are infected so telling people to go elsewhere. 

https://www.facebook.com/nbtworld/posts/10157972686707050

 

 

The basics:

 

Among the daily record 11 COVID deaths Thailand reported Sunday, another sad first -- a government spokesman said one of the victims was a 32-year-old Bangkok woman who was 25 weeks pregnant at the time of her death but had no other reported health conditions. Eight of the eleven deaths reported today were victims in the 20s to 40s age group, most with various preexisting conditions.

 

The 2,438 new COVID cases reported Sunday represents the first daily decline after five consecutive days of increases, although weekends often see a falloff in reported cases. However, the number is still almost double the number of daily cases reported by Thailand 12 days ago, and is the second highest daily total in the country's current "third wave" COVID outbreak.

 

The number of COVID patients in serious condition, which apparently means are in Intensive Care Units, increased from 418 to 507 in the past day. That figure has almost doubled in the past seven days. Likewise, the share of patients requiring ventilators to breathe increased from 113 to 138 in the past day, more than doubling in the past week.

 

The current number of COVID patients hospitalized in the country hit 24,207, another daily record, and has more than doubled in the past nine days.

 

Also, a government spokeswoman said Bangkok hospital beds for COVID patients "are currently near maximum capacity" and health officials had 1,420 COVID positive patients awaiting hospital bed assignments as of yesterday. Government officials pledged to try to whittle down that backlog, aiming for wait times of no longer than three days after testing positive.

 

 

If we get to 20,000 new cases a day, it's going to take a while, based on the recent non-exponential trend. 

5 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Noisy case numbers again...but at least in a good direction. Hopefully we see a positive trend develop soon.

Case numbers with 11 dead is in a good direction?, that unfortunately is a crass statement.  11 deaths show this is taking more with it as it moves.  Hopefully the medical staff have the adequate beds and treatment to keep the deaths from rising or even doubling.  Family is isolating now as many of the places we did go are now shuttered as of the 26th here in Bangkok.  Stay safe and pray for a serious downturn and a handle on the case numbers.

4 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

11 deaths show this is taking more with it as it moves.  Hopefully the medical staff have the adequate beds and treatment to keep the deaths from rising or even doubling.

I'm a little worried as i have to go and travel to BKK in 2 weeks to collect my new passport..  ???? 

great timing, eh?! ???? 

4 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Case numbers with 11 dead is in a good direction?, that unfortunately is a crass statement.  11 deaths show this is taking more with it as it moves.  Hopefully the medical staff have the adequate beds and treatment to keep the deaths from rising or even doubling.  Family is isolating now as many of the places we did go are now shuttered as of the 26th here in Bangkok.  Stay safe and pray for a serious downturn and a handle on the case numbers.

Still only a mortality rate of 0.5 percent. 

24 minutes ago, Kaopad999 said:

RIP to those who passed away. 

This is absolutely out  of control yet   still no word of full a national lock-down?
 

It's certainly NOT out of control. Just stay at home if you are afraid. 

Just now, Kaopad999 said:

I'm a little worried as i have to go and travel to BKK in 2 weeks to collect my new passport..  ???? 

Double mask and avoid as many crowded places as you can! Best of luck!

7 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Case numbers with 11 dead is in a good direction?, that unfortunately is a crass statement.  11 deaths show this is taking more with it as it moves.  Hopefully the medical staff have the adequate beds and treatment to keep the deaths from rising or even doubling.  Family is isolating now as many of the places we did go are now shuttered as of the 26th here in Bangkok.  Stay safe and pray for a serious downturn and a handle on the case numbers.

Yes going from almost 3000 new cases to 2438 is a very positive direction. As I said, it doesn't mean much, however, because the numbers are bouncing up and down each day so no definitive trend yet. I don't understand why you are obsessed with the death count...yes every one is unfortunate but that's what happens in a pandemic...PEOPLE DIE. Thailand has done an extraordinary job so far in minimizing them to date and we all hope deaths will stop rising soon.

Just now, Jeffr2 said:

Double mask and avoid as many crowded places as you can! Best of luck!

Thanks man

Think it's safe to say that i will be driving there to avoid any form of public transport! 

1 minute ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

I'd say going from almost 3000 new cases to 2438 is a very positive direction, yes. As I said, it doesn't mean much, however, because the numbers are bouncing up and down each day so no definitive trend yet. I don't understand why you seem obsessed with th death count...yes everyone is unfortunate but that's what happens in a pandemic...PEOPLE DIE. Thailand has done an extraordinary job so far in minimizing them to date and we all hope the deaths will stop rising soon.

Look at the trend,not the daily numbers. It doesn't look good.

2 minutes ago, Kaopad999 said:

I'm a little worried as i have to go and travel to BKK in 2 weeks to collect my new passport..  ???? 

I sure hope that they have the hospitalization issues fixed and have enough staff as it appears that the staff is even being infected.  Just saw that Chonburi is sending all patients over to Sattahip and that the Chonburi medical staff has some folks that are infected as well.  You have to wonder if they were intake staff and the folks they were dealing with have also lied about their contacts.  If this keeps up, there will be no medical personnel left to help those in need.  Starting to sound like the first wave that ran through China, then the US, UK, and Eu as it took out medical staff.  Pure ugliness.

Don't understand why they just don't have a lockdown for 10-14 days To get a grip on it.

I'm seeing people on FB travelling around Thailand still.

28 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

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I expect all other provinces to follow

 

Got an excuse for not going to the gym now so all good

6 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

Still only a mortality rate of 0.5 percent. 

Dead is dead, should be zero if they were treated appropriately with what has been learned over the past year and they got them to a hospital in a fashionable time and not 5 days later as in a few cases so far.  Additionally, one has to wonder how many may have been even sick for a longer time when patients were sent away and untested because hospitals lacked room and tests.

4 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

I'd say going from almost 3000 new cases to 2438 is a very positive direction, yes. As I said, it doesn't mean much, however, because the numbers are bouncing up and down each day so no definitive trend yet. I don't understand why you seem obsessed with th death count...yes everyone is unfortunate but that's what happens in a pandemic...PEOPLE DIE. Thailand has done an extraordinary job so far in minimizing them to date and we all hope the deaths will stop rising soon.

 

The drop in confirmed cases could be due to the "weekend effect" .  You can see similar drops in  confirmed cases on the weekend in reported confirmed numbers of other countries.