FILE PHOTO: People line up to receive their vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok, Thailand April 28, 2021. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) -Thailand on Saturday reported a new daily record of 21 coronavirus deaths in one day, the health ministry said, as the Southeast Asian country prepared to open registration for a long-awaited mass vaccination campaign.

 

The health ministry reported 1,891 new cases, bringing the total number of infections to 67,044 since the pandemic began last year, with 224 deaths.

 

Thailand is fighting a fierce third wave of infections, the worst of the pandemic after a year of relative success in controlling the virus.

 

The new outbreak includes the highly transmissible B.1.1.7 variant and has accounted for about half of its total cases and deaths during the pandemic.

 

A slow rollout of vaccines has churned public frustration, with the 2.5 million doses of the Chinese Sinovac vaccine received so far going mostly to medical and frontline workers and the most vulnerable.

 

Registration for vaccinating the general public begins on Saturday, with about 16 million people over 60 or those with pre-existing conditions like diabetes getting priority.

 

The mass inoculations are set to begin in June, when the first batch of an eventual 61 million locally manufactured AstraZeneca doses are available.

 

Thailand aims to have 70% of the population vaccinated by the end of the year.

 

(Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat; Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Stephen Coates)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-05-01

 

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Thailand set a grim daily record for COVID deaths Saturday as it reported 21 new fatalities and the number of new reported COVID cases rose more than 19% to 1,891 after three consecutive days of declines. Friday’s tally of new cases had been only 1,583.

 

The death tally was the country’s highest since the world pandemic began in early 2020, and followed four straight days of double-digit death numbers, although the prior peaks had been only 15 daily deaths reported yesterday (Friday), last Wednesday and last Tuesday.

 

With the latest report, total COVID cases in Thailand hit 67,044, total COVID deaths rose to 224, and the number of COVID positive patients in some kind of hospital facility nationwide under a government requirement hit 28,745. Many of those are showing little to no symptoms, but 829 were reported in critical condition, including 270 on ventilators, meaning more COVID deaths likely will be coming.

 

Saturday’s bad news came as several new government restrictions took effect aimed at slowing the spread of the virus, including a nationwide mandate to wear facemasks in all indoor and outdoor public places, lengthening the quarantine on incoming international travelers to 14 days, and banning sit-down restaurant dining in Bangkok and five other provinces.

 

There also were some slivers of good news among the latest reports, including that the number of COVID patients in critical condition declined for the first time in weeks, dropping from 871 on Friday to Saturday's 829 number. Also, total hospitalizations only increased slightly, as the 1,800+ patients listed as being newly recovered/released nearly equaled Saturday's number of new cases.

 

so the 3rd wave did not culminate yesterday.

statistics are jumping up and down, and usually on weekends are lower - hospitals need to give time off to their overstretched personel. That's why weekly average was introduced many months ago in most of countries, instead of daily data. 

This wave is likely to roll at similar levels and even rise, until a large vax program kicks in. Those 3mln of sinovac ordered by prayuth migh do the job, just to keep under control, but not to extinguish 

Edited May 1, 20215 yr by internationalism

Why are people thinking this is under control? It's just getting started thanks to Songkran travel being allowed. 

 

Now the more virulent strains of the virus are out and about half-measures and empty platitudes won't work any more.

 

Baton down the hatches, storm incoming.

The outside world is looking : https://www.godsavethepoints.com/thailand-latest-tourism-blunder-long-quarantine/

 

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thailand aims to have 70% of the population vaccinated by the end of the year.

They could increase that percent by allowing vaccinated foreigners to enter the country more easily.

8 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Why are people thinking this is under control? It's just getting started thanks to Songkran travel being allowed. 

 

Now the more virulent strains of the virus are out and about half-measures and empty platitudes won't work any more.

 

Baton down the hatches, storm incoming.

.... and you know this .... how?

New international arrivals quarantine rules:

 

  

  

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/informationcovid19/posts/316556239962707

 

Edited May 1, 20215 yr by TallGuyJohninBKK

A small increase within the general rate of decline has brought out the doomsayers again. Funny how they disappear when the numbers of infections go down....

 

Another note: please don't spread unconfirmed rumors. Misinformation during a pandemic can be deadly.

Of those that died so far, how many died in the hospital and how many died at home.  I would like to hear from the government as to their surroundings when they passed.  Were they unable to find a bed and thus died while waiting at home or did they choose to not be hospitalized where they might die alone without family to care for them, and thus stayed home being cared by family until the grim reaper came.  Sad reality

2 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Of those that died so far, how many died in the hospital and how many died at home.  I would like to hear from the government as to their surroundings when they passed.  Were they unable to find a bed and thus died while waiting at home or did they choose to not be hospitalized where they might die alone without family to care for them, and thus stayed home being cared by family until the grim reaper came.  Sad reality

There are clearly some of these, but given the coverage by the press when this happens, not too common.

 

 

8 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

.... and you know this .... how?

Do you believe Thailand has control of this virus, and thus has a secret formula in dealing with Covid where other countries have failed.  If that was the case why are the other countries not flocking here to get the secrets to the Thai magical success in defeating Covid.  Thailand could sell the other countries billions of dollars in amulets, and provide monks to give them Thai Sak Yant tattoos.

 

This post is dripping with sarcasm and is a sad commentary that underscores the truth of the matters at hand which folks believe are soon to be washed away after the spirit of Songkran has cleansed them all.

7 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

A small increase within the general rate of decline has brought out the doomsayers again. Funny how they disappear when the numbers of infections go down....

 

Another note: please don't spread unconfirmed rumors. Misinformation during a pandemic can be deadly.

To them there is still exponential spread (even though new infections are down a third since the "Third Wave" high)...the government figures are all lies...and the ministers are not to be trusted.

Edited May 1, 20215 yr by Pattaya Spotter

3 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

There are clearly some of these, but given the coverage by the press when this happens, not too common.

 

 

Yet you do not have the numbers to answer the post then do you.

6 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Of those that died so far, how many died in the hospital and how many died at home.  I would like to hear from the government as to their surroundings when they passed.  Were they unable to find a bed and thus died while waiting at home or did they choose to not be hospitalized where they might die alone without family to care for them, and thus stayed home being cared by family until the grim reaper came.  Sad reality

 

For those who died at home, had they tested positive previously, or been tested at all?

26 minutes ago, webfact said:

A slow rollout of vaccines has churned public frustration, with the 2.5 million doses of the Chinese Sinovac vaccine received so far going mostly to medical and frontline workers and the most vulnerable.

No it isn't!  There are still many frontline hospital workers outside Bangkok who have not been vaccinated!  Most have gone to central and local government officials, Thai airways staff, The Thai National football team, etc. and certainly not to the vulnerable in rural Isaan!

6 minutes ago, Misty said:

 

For those who died at home, had they tested positive previously, or been tested at all?

That is part and parcel to the question as well, Thanks.

No news is good news...continued stable or dropping case numbers; the slight uptick in deaths is to be expected from the rise in cases of a week to ten days ago. With about 67,000 cases, there should be around 670 deaths (1%), the 224, with some catching up to do, is still a remarkable figure.

7 day moving average is always the best pointer rather than daily levels. Here's the current trend on 7 days without all the noise, this is only up to yesterdays figures and we know today they are higher

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/thailand/

 

Edited May 1, 20215 yr by Bkk Brian

34 minutes ago, canopus1969 said:

The outside world is looking : https://www.godsavethepoints.com/thailand-latest-tourism-blunder-long-quarantine/

 

The article is a bit short on science. They increased to quarantine back to 14 days after the deadly P.1 variant almost made it through 7 days of quarantine.

 

12 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

7 day moving average is always the best pointer rather than daily levels. Here's the current trend on 7 days without all the noise, this is only up to yesterdays figures and we know today they are higher

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/thailand/

 

 

Your graph above cut off the explanation.... but the blue line above is showing the 7-day running average that you mentioned, whereas the black spikes are showing the daily figures, up through yesterday's numbers.

 

12 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

7 day moving average is always the best pointer rather than daily levels. Here's the current trend on 7 days without all the noise, this is only up to yesterdays figures and we know today they are higher

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/thailand/

 

It wouldn't look anywhere near as dramatic if the x axis started in Jan 2021 and the y axis was set at 10k.

24 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Yet you do not have the numbers to answer the post then do you.

You are asking me to provide a link to the number of uncounted fatalities 

 

1 minute ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Your graph above cut off the explanation.... but the blue line above is showing the 7-day running average that you mentioned, whereas the black spikes are showing the daily figures, up through yesterday's numbers.

 

Correct, I fixed it with new screenshot to show explanation

31 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

A small increase within the general rate of decline has brought out the doomsayers again. Funny how they disappear when the numbers of infections go down....

 

Another note: please don't spread unconfirmed rumors. Misinformation during a pandemic can be deadly.

 

Misinformation to not worry is more deadly than that causing worry. 

 

"Don't worry, the train may no be travelling very fast, I think."

2 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

It wouldn't look anywhere near as dramatic if the x axis started in Jan 2021 and the y axis was set at 10k.

Well this is a demonstration of 7 day moving average, your welcome to source a graph with your preferred parameters

11 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

You are asking me to provide a link to the number of uncounted fatalities 

 

No just the number of those that died at home and the number in the hospital, not the uncounted.  Stop trying to twist the words used and read my whole post for the context.  Trying to lump my post into your: doomsayers, Portion of your post, but nice try.

Edited May 1, 20215 yr by ThailandRyan

Just now, Bkk Brian said:

Well this is a demonstration of 7 day moving average, your welcome to source a graph with your preferred parameters

Just sayin' that, as you say, depending on the parameters chosen, a graph can be used to "show" almost anything.

No it isn't!  There are still many frontline hospital workers outside Bangkok who have not been vaccinated!  Most have gone to central and local government officials, Thai airways staff, The Thai National football team, etc. and certainly not to the vulnerable in rural Isaan!

 

The Thai national football team ????. Wow, next Worldcup saved.