Thailand sees second day of record-high virus deaths

[Jonathan Fairfield]

 

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

 

Thailand's Health Ministry on Sunday reported 1,940 new coronavirus cases, while deaths hit 21 for a second day, the highest daily number of fatalities since the pandemic began.

 

Thailand largely controlled the virus early in the pandemic through shutdowns and strict border controls. But a deadly third wave that begin in early April includes the highly transmissible B.1.1.7 variant and has accounted for about half of its total cases and deaths.

 

Sunday's numbers brought the country's total confirmed infections since the pandemic began last year to 68,984. Total deaths are now at 245.

 

Thailand has vaccinated nearly 1.5 million people so far, mostly medical workers and vulnerable people, using imported doses of China's Sinovac and the AstraZeneca vaccines.

 

A mass vaccination programme is to kick off in June with locally manufactured AstraZeneca doses. Vaccine registration opened to the public this weekend with a goal of inoculating 70 percent of adults in the country of more than 66 million people.

 

Sunday's new cases included those found in Bangkok (539), Nonthaburi (276), Samut Prakan (145), Chonburi (89), Pathum Thani (62), Chiang Mai 55, Samut Sakhon (52), Surat Thani (48), Trang (35), Nakhon Ratchasima (34), and Chiang Rai (23).

 

Meanwhile, Prachuap Khiri Khan which was once the location of a major cluster during the third wave of infections reported just 6 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday.

 

More information regarding Sunday's new cases will be announced from 11.30am.

 

*Reuters contributed to this post.

 

This post may be updated without notice. 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-05-02

 

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[TallGuyJohninBKK]

New COVID cases in Thailand rose for a second consecutive day on Sunday to 1,940, while the nation added another 21 new COVID deaths matching a record high for the second consecutive day, as total cases in the country hit 68,984, government officials reported.

 

The 1,940 new case tally was Thailand’s highest number in the past four days, but remained below a six-day stretch from April 23 to 28 where the country notched 2,000+ new cases daily, including the single day high of 2,839 cases on April 24.

 

Sunday’s numbers brought Thailand’s total reported COVID deaths to 245 since the start of the pandemic in early 2020, and marked the sixth consecutive day of double digit fatalities. And more are likely coming.

 

In one particularly alarming development Sunday, the government reported that its number of COVID patients hospitalized in critical condition increased 15% just in the past day, rising 125 patients from 829 on Saturday to 954 on Sunday. Officials said 270 of those were requiring ventilators to breathe -- high levels that continue to strain the Thai health care system.

 

In all, Thailand now has 29,481 COVID positive patients hospitalized in some kind of facility (hospital, field hospital or hotel-hospital) under a government policy that requires anyone testing positive to be hospitalized until they have recovered. That number rose 2.5% on Sunday with a net gain of 736 in the hospitalized population.

 

https://www.facebook.com/informationcovid19/photos/a.106455480972785/317320373219627/

 

Although unlikely to have had time to influence Sunday's numbers, Thailand on Saturday stepped up its fight against COVID with a series of new restrictions. Those included lengthening the quarantine on incoming international travelers to 14 days, making face mask wear in indoor and outdoor public places mandatory nationwide, and banning sit-down restaurant dining in Bangkok and five other provinces.

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Per ThaiPBS:

 

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/ThaiPBSWorld/posts/4367856929926270

Edited May 2, 2021 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Tarteso]

All is under control... in crescendo ????

[dinsdale]

105 dead in 7 days with >13,000 infections. Even if this is correct it's not good. This so-called 3rd wave is still going strong. 

[internationalism]

15 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

what is probability that within 7 days in 3 days there was exactly same numer and for the last 2 days exactly same number of deaths?

is there somewhere computer glitch?

human error?

not very imaginative playing with numbers?

 

as to weekends and holiday statistics (we have now both happening), numbers are always lower in every country from the very beginning of the pandemic. Hospitals need to give days off to medical personel, so testing, reporting is slowed

Edited May 2, 2021 by internationalism

[keith101]

Who ever said the virus had already peaked should lose their job as they have obviously no idea of what they are talking about .

[rabas]

4 minutes ago, internationalism said:

what is probability that within 7 days in 3 days there was exactly same numer and for the last 2 days exactly same number of deaths?

 

Very high.  Considering you must consider 100s of days in 100s of countries. Can it happen somewhere sometime? Yes, easily.

 

 

 

Edited May 2, 2021 by rabas

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Meanwhile, the number of Thai provinces asking residents to stay home during the night and overnight hours in attempt to stop the spread of COVID climbed again to now 22 out of 77 provinces as of the latest report:

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/informationcovid19/posts/317225986562399

 

 

[Danderman123]

3 minutes ago, keith101 said:

Who ever said the virus had already peaked should lose their job as they have obviously no idea of what they are talking about .

This wave has peaked.

 

However, since fatalities are a lagging indicator, expect deaths to increase for the next week or so.

[Pattaya Spotter]

Steady as she goes...cases and deaths holding steady. Keep practicing recommended Covid safety precautions everyone and we'll lick this third wave soon.

[ZimSong]

You simply cannot control a pandemic by restrictions unless it is total lockdown at the cost of economic collapse.

 

It will always flare up until there is a herd immunity wide enough, either with vaccines or with the old fashioned way. 

[ZimSong]

This is the worst of both worlds. Restrictions that are not working that well but keeping the epidemic alive locally and vaccines always coming "tomorrow". 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Thailand travel blogger Richard Barrow had an interesting take on Thailand's COVID daily fatalities, noting that the country's reported COVID deaths on Saturday exceeded its daily road deaths for the first time, likely in part attributable to fewer Thais traveling and commuting during the latest COVID outbreak as the government has promoted a "work from home" campaign and other restrictions.

 

Thailand has one of the highest road death rates in the world, in part due to high numbers of motorcycle riders, lax enforcement of traffic laws and rampant careless and drunk driving. In comparison, Thailand's COVID deaths, while at record levels for the country, thus far have remained comparatively low on a per capita basis to most other countries in the world.

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/richardbarrowthailand/posts/323967802422823

 

[Patong2021]

15 minutes ago, keith101 said:

Who ever said the virus had already peaked should lose their job as they have obviously no idea of what they are talking about .

 There are plenty of farang who commented on other threads demanding Thailand  drop  isolation period, stop restrictions, open up all because  there was small dip in number of reported infections a few days ago.

[meechai]

Quote

Thailand sees second day of record-high virus deaths

 

 

in 2018 Thailand averaged 122 deaths per day due to Influenza and Pneumonia.

 

 

This dog & pony show needs a bite of reality

 

Scare Mongering at its finest has really detracted from all the student protests & moves to seek new government

 

21 deaths....OMG what is that like one third the daily auto deaths ( at the scene only) of course less now that none go anywhere ????

 

Quote

According to the latest WHO data published in 2018 Influenza and Pneumonia Deaths in Thailand reached 44,549 or 9.11% of total deaths.

 

Edited May 2, 2021 by onthedarkside
profanity reference removed

[Patong2021]

3 minutes ago, ZimSong said:

This is the worst of both worlds. Restrictions that are not working that well but keeping the epidemic alive locally and vaccines always coming "tomorrow". 

How are the   restrictions keeping epidemic alive locally. Those mild restrictions are what has contained the spread. It will take 10-14 days after the new restrictions to see the results.

[Patong2021]

2 hours ago, meechai said:

 

in 2018 Thailand averaged 47 deaths per day due to Influenza and Pneumonia.

 

This dog & pony show needs a bite of reality

 

Scare Mongering at its finest has really detracted from all the student protests & moves to seek new government

 

21 deaths....OMG what is that like one third the daily auto deaths ( at the scene only) of course less now that none go anywhere ????

 

 

 

This is not about deaths and never has been. It is about the  over flowing hospitals and a medical care system that will collapse if hospitalizations continue.  Try and get critical care now if you have a heart attack or car crash if the ICU beds are  already filled. Look at what is happening in India: Yesterday they take oxygen away from poor woman to give to VIP and the woman died, or hospital beds being emptied to make room for government officials.  Do you think that cannot happen in Thailand?  Do you think the military hospitals are opening their beds to poor people?

 

 

[phills2k1]

3 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

You don't get it. Without all the "dog and pony show", ie the restrictions imposed by the government, it is possible, if not likely, that Thailand could suffer an epidemic as in India.

 

So, are you in favor of an India-style approach, with few, if any restrictions? Or are you just making random comments because the current situation irritates you?

 

 

Sometimes I think people like that are trolling, but then you see popular expats on twitter spouting the same BS and you know they're not

 

What I truly wonder is if they're so dense that the don't realize that mortality numbers have been low because of restrictions in place and that if not for them, they'll rise like crazy, or if they realize this and just don't care because they assume they won't be impacted

 

Meanwhile every time I ask if they think tourists will return if this is a covid country, they suddenly go silent. Funny how that works

[meechai]

2 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

You don't get it. Without all the "dog and pony show", ie the restrictions imposed by the government, it is possible, if not likely, that Thailand could suffer an epidemic as in India.

 

So, are you in favor of an India-style approach, with few, if any restrictions? Or are you just making random comments because the current situation irritates you?

 

 

Lemme get this straight...Your comparing a 1.3 BILLION India Population with 70 million Thai Population?

 

Secondly take a look at some India FACTS

 

19.5 MILLION Cases

215k deaths??? Where's the beef??

 

Edited May 2, 2021 by onthedarkside
personal comment removed

[ZimSong]

1 minute ago, Patong2021 said:

How are the   restrictions keeping epidemic alive locally. Those mild restrictions are what has contained the spread. It will take 10-14 days after the new restrictions to see the results.

 

In a normal situation it would go over the population like wildfire and the herd immunity established but now there are always more people to be infected per patient nearby because of no herd immunity. 

 

[WaveHunter]

28 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Meanwhile, the number of Thai provinces asking residents to stay home during the night and overnight hours in attempt to stop the spread of COVID climbed again to now 22 out of 77 provinces as of the latest report:

Do curfews really make any sense at all?  I mean, Covid does not ominously become more transmissible from 10pm to 4am, so why put a random time stamp on it?

 

In all seriousness, there is no science based data that support the efficacy of curfews.   On the other hand there is data that support the efficacy of short-term lockdowns (i.e.: 1-3 weeks).

 

I would hate for that to become necessary but my point is that curfews really achieve very little if anything at all towards "flattening the curve".  However, what they do accomplish is to erode our trust in government and just generate widespread paranoia.

 

Issuing arbitrary curfews actually discredit the more sensible measures taken.  When health authorities present rules without clear, science-based substantiation, their advice ends up seeming arbitrary and capricious.

Edited May 2, 2021 by WaveHunter

[Danderman123]

1 minute ago, meechai said:

 

Lemme get this straight...Your comparing a 1.3 BILLION Population with 70 million?

 

Secondly take a look at some India FACTS

 

19.5 MILLION Cases

215k deaths??? Where's eh beef??

 

 

You seem to have some sort of problem grasping the enormity of what is happening in India. I guess those are just numbers to you.

 

And, yes, a small country with only 70 million people can suffer the same as India, if the virus is left unchecked.

[robblok]

2 hours ago, ZimSong said:

You simply cannot control a pandemic by restrictions unless it is total lockdown at the cost of economic collapse.

 

It will always flare up until there is a herd immunity wide enough, either with vaccines or with the old fashioned way. 

 

Lockdowns will never stop the pandemic. It merely stops the sharp increase so hospitals can cope. If it rises too much hospitals will be overrun and death rates sore. That is the only reason for a lockdown. Not to beat the virus. Only vaccinations can do that.

Edited May 2, 2021 by onthedarkside
personal comment removed

[RandolphGB]

22 deaths in a population of 70 million + 

 

[robblok]

1 minute ago, WaveHunter said:

Do curfews really make any sense at all?  I mean, Covid does not ominously become more transmissible from 10pm to 4am, so why put a random time stamp on it?

 

In all seriousness, there is no science based data that support the efficacy of curfews.   On the other hand there is data that support the efficacy of short-term lockdowns (i.e.: 1-3 weeks).

 

I would hate for that to become necessary but my point is that curfews really achieve very little if anything at all towards "flattening the curve".  However, what they do accomplish is to erode our trust in government and just generate widespread paranoia.  

 

Issuing arbitrary curfews actually discredit the more sensible measures taken.  When health authorities present rules without clear, science-based substantiation, their advice ends up seeming arbitrary and capricious.

Of course curfews work but not in the way you think. They prevent parties and home drinking. That is all they need to do. They also stop illegal bars and other stuff. The rest it has no use what so ever but as we have seen alcohol and covid rules just don't mix. So they try to stop partying with curfews.

[Danderman123]

1 minute ago, RandolphGB said:

22 deaths in a population of 70 million + 

 

So, you approve of the government restrictions which are keeping the number of new infections and deaths at low levels?

 

[Pattaya Spotter]

2 hours ago, meechai said:

 

in 2018 Thailand averaged 122 deaths per day due to Influenza and Pneumonia.

 

This dog & pony show needs a bite of reality

 

Scare Mongering at its finest has really detracted from all the student protests & moves to seek new government

 

21 deaths....OMG what is that like one third the daily auto deaths ( at the scene only) of course less now that none go anywhere ????

 

 

 

Also how is a second day of 21 deaths another record...wouldn't it have to be greater than 21?

[rabas]

2 hours ago, meechai said:

 

in 2018 Thailand averaged 122 deaths per day due to Influenza and Pneumonia.

 

This dog & pony show needs a bite of reality

 

Scare Mongering at its finest has really detracted from all the student protests & moves to seek new government

 

21 deaths....OMG what is that like one third the daily auto deaths ( at the scene only) of course less now that none go anywhere ????

 

 

Another who can't grasp the incredibly simple idea that pandemics spread.

 

Global traffic deaths today 3,700

Global Covid deaths today 13,367

 

Global traffic death forecast: steady

Global Covid death forecast: rising

 

Maximum future traffic death rate: same same

Maximum future Covid death rate: unknown

 

[scorecard]

34 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Meanwhile, the number of Thai provinces asking residents to stay home during the night and overnight hours in attempt to stop the spread of COVID climbed again to now 22 out of 77 provinces as of the latest report:

 

 

 

 

Good news but should be much higher.

 

No matter what they do the selfish hi-so's etc., will still party and expect that they should be entitled to do so, and then expect priority treatment.

 

Sometimes Thailand is it's own worst enemy.