Thailand reports 22,818 new COVID-19 cases, 52 deaths, 18,462 recoveries

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Thailand on Saturday (March 5) reported 22,818 new COVID-19 cases, 18,462 recoveries and 52 additional deaths over the past 24 hours. 

 

Saturday’s cases bring the total number of COVID-19 infections in Thailand to 3,004,814 with 23,176 deaths.

 

The news comes as the Public Health Ministry warns that new COVID-19 caseloads can reach 50,000-100,000 on April 19 unless people strictly protect themselves from infection.

 

Dr Sophon Iamsirithaworn, deputy director-general of the Department of Disease Control under the Public Health Ministry, said new COVID-19 cases in Thailand were rising like in other countries including South Korea and Vietnam, each of which logged about 100,000 new cases a day, because of the highly contagious Omicron variant.

 

*TNA contributed to this report

 

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[anchadian]

https://twitter.com/ThaiNewsReports/status/1499899205032488961

 

[anchadian]

https://twitter.com/ThaiNewsReports/status/1499898784121503748

 

[Bkk Brian]

PCR test positive cases, total of 22,818 official new infections. 52 official covid deaths recorded.

 

Rapid tests positive cases, 33,085 bringing the total of PCR and ATK results to 55,903

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

 

OWD rolling 7 day average, cases and deaths up to 3rd March

https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus/country/thailand

 

 

 

 

[ThailandRyan]

2 less deaths and 1k fewer cases than yesterday. I do know that the deaths generally lag a few weeks behind the time these folks were infected, but the numbers 2 weeks ago were supposedly much lower which is a concern now based upon the numbers now on ventilators and in serious condition.

 

I am awaiting the ATK test results to see if this (Number of cases) is a downtrend or just an anomaly.  Noticed last night that many folks had left Bangkok for the weekend.  The restaurants are still closing early and its no wonder some of the tourists I have met since my return are a little concerned that they can not truly spend an evening out doing things.  

 

* Just saw that @Bkk Brianhas posted the new ATK cases in his post above mine.  Thank you and @anchadianand @TallGuyJohninBKKfor your continued updates to the Covid OP.

Edited March 5, 2022 by ThailandRyan

[anchadian]

Those on ventilators continue to rise:

 

https://twitter.com/ThaiNewsReports/status/1499916336298065924

 

 

[ikke1959]

OMG cases are down again... we have it under control...... Hang out the flag!! but  what is the reality?? Suddenly the Covid line not overwhelmed anymore with call just as a few days ago when it was written that there were 80.000 calls?

[anchadian]

Two million elderly not vaxxed as Songkran looms

 

BANGKOK: The Department of Disease Control has urged more than two million elderly people to get COVID-19 shots before the Songkran festival as infections may soar during the festive period when families reunite across the nation.

 

https://www.thephuketnews.com/two-million-elderly-not-vaxxed-as-songkran-looms-83340.php

[law ling]

43 minutes ago, anchadian said:

Two million elderly not vaxxed as Songkran looms

1. Maybe scared of rumors of bad reactions to the vax.

 

2. It's not always easy to get vaxed - on a recent up-country trip, I took two Thais to their appointment for the second jab ... in all, it took 4.5 hours - OK, the last half-hour was the jab plus "observation" period - after having queued outside the hospital for four hours.

[Enzian]

Does seem like a plateau is established, then we move to a slightly higher plateau for a while, then another slightly higher, till the peak plateau is found. While hoping for no new variants. 

[mommysboy]

I don't buy in to the figures at all- across all metrics.  When data is so inaccurate or corrupted it's pointless to even speculate.  I don't see any point in regurgitating bad information.  

 

My take is that in line with all other countries, Omicron will be extremely widespread, and the active case count is likely in the millions for a month or two before declining rapidly.

[mommysboy]

2 hours ago, anchadian said:

Two million elderly not vaxxed as Songkran looms

 

BANGKOK: The Department of Disease Control has urged more than two million elderly people to get COVID-19 shots before the Songkran festival as infections may soar during the festive period when families reunite across the nation.

 

https://www.thephuketnews.com/two-million-elderly-not-vaxxed-as-songkran-looms-83340.php

Herein, lays the nub of the matter.  If you can't adequately protect one major group that really needs it when that protection is freely available, then what's the point of doing anything else for a variant that is in any case relatively mild in its presentation for the overwhelming majority of other people. 

Edited March 5, 2022 by mommysboy

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

More than two years into the COVID pandemic, Thailand passed the 3 million mark (3,004,814) on Saturday for total official COVID cases reported, while also setting new record highs for the year of COVID patients under care at 232,147 and COVID patients requiring intubation to breathe at 355.

 

The 3 million official cases tally means that about 4 percent of Thailand's 70 million plus population has become an official COVID case since the start of 2020 -- although the actual case numbers are believed to be many times higher because many asymptomatic or minor symptom cases are never officially tested and reported.

 

In other statistics reported by the government on Saturday, official new cases ended three consecutive days of increases with a modest decline to 22,818. Unofficial cases, the result of positive ATK tests, increased to 33,085. And the combined total of the two reached 55,903, an increase of 498 from the prior day.

 

New COVID deaths for the day declined from 54 on Friday to 52 on Saturday, bringing Thailand's cumulative COVID official death toll to 23,176. Serious COVID cases in hospital rose from 1,115 to 1,124, remaining just slightly below the record daily high for the year of 1,131.

 

Among the record high 232,147 active COVID cases considered under care, 80,016 were in regular hospitals, a slight decline from the prior day, while 152,131 were alternate care arrangements such as hospitels, community or home care, an increase of more than 4,800 from the prior day, and another daily record high for the year.

 

 

RED numbers are daily highs for 2022.

 

 

RED numbers are daily highs for 2022.

 

https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/?dashboard=main

 

For added context, during the peak of the Delta wave last fall, Thailand's daily COVID case count topped out at 23,418, but the numbers of serious hospital cases and intubated patients peaked above 5,600 and 1,100 respectively, and daily deaths topped 300 for a brief period.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The share of Thailand's population that's received a third-shot booster dose of a COVID vaccine to best combat the Omicron variant remains at only about 30%. The share of the population "fully vaccinated" with just two doses has reached 71.7%, according to the Ministry of Public Health.

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/informationcovid19/posts/515825986702397

 

And the comparable numbers for the age 60 plus and younger children vaccination rates:

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/informationcovid19/photos/a.106455480972785/515890503362612/?type=3

 

[ThailandRyan]

8 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

The share of Thailand's population that's received a third-shot booster dose of a COVID vaccine to best combat the Omicron variant remains at only about 30%. The share of the population "fully vaccinated" with just two doses has reached 71.7%, according to the Ministry of Public Health.

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/informationcovid19/posts/515825986702397

Thanks for the info @TallGuyJohninBKK.  Just received an e-mail from the BCC regarding the boosters for my GF and housekeeper.  Seems they have to wait until April since they picked up the 2nd AZ vaccine near the end of December.  

Edited March 5, 2022 by ThailandRyan

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Just when you thought it might be safe to go back into the water again...yet another COVID mobile application from the Thai government for Bangkok... albeit, one that's not fully functional as yet...covering only one BMA hospital to start, but with the promise to expand to cover the rest by the end of the month. ????

 

Launch “MorBMA” application to enhance the convenience of receiving medical services in 11 BMA hospitals

 

Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) in cooperation with Kasikornbank has created a new mobile application called “MorBMA” to enhance the convenience of receiving medical services in all 11 BMA affiliated hospitals.

 

The “MorBMA” application offers the following services: 1. Online treatment service using Telemedicine system in which patient can see doctor to get medical treatment, symptom monitoring, and advice on medication use via video call system without going to the hospital. Service users can choose to have their medication delivered by the postal service or to pick up at the nearest pharmacy; 2. Request for emergency services from Erawan Center for 24-hour assistance in case of emergency or a serious injury or illness; ...

 

(more)

 

https://www.facebook.com/prbangkok/posts/270274055280751

 

You have to wonder, if the public typically can't get through to the various public health authorities via their many COVID-related phone hotlines, or face very long waits in doing so, how's that process going to work when it comes to COVID telemedicine?

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Chiang Mai launches free test and Favipiravir drive-through service

 

(the report below appears to indicate this service is open to foreigners as well)

 

A drive-through service at Chiang Mai Municipal Hospital in Muang district is providing free antigen test kits (ATK) to motorists. To reduce risk, those who test positive will receive Favipiravir drugs at the drive-through window without leaving their vehicles.

 

“The drive-through checkpoint will be at Municipal Hospital for three days,” said Chiang Mai Mayor Assanee Buranupakorn on Friday. It will then rotate to other municipality offices in Muang district for three days each, in Meng Rai, Nakhon Pink, Siwichai and Kawila.

...

The drive-throughs will test to up to 6,000 people per day.

 

(more)

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013064?fbclid=IwAR3LthKZeglM7pK5_Hd9RLd1uvD01CELw-f6FKZZzlFAONAvBmA_8MYmmPI

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Despite most COVID deaths occurring among older people, yesterday's COVID deaths recap from the MoPH included reference to a 1-year-old. Now today's latest deaths recap includes reference to an approximate 6-month-old. The youngest of the young...

 

Yesterday:

https://www.facebook.com/informationcovid19/posts/515248996760096

 

Today:

https://www.facebook.com/informationcovid19/photos/a.106455480972785/515890206695975/?type=3

 

Edited March 5, 2022 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Neeranam]

Thanks TallJohn but most here can't read Thai. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

18 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Thanks TallJohn but most here can't read Thai. 

The ages of the two infant COVID deaths I referenced in my post above are in NUMBERS, and don't require reading Thai. I highlighted the age references with the red circles to make clear those references.

 

AFAICT, the two MoPH daily update documents above don't provide any additional details about those two COVID infant deaths in the Thai text, other than the fact that they occurred.

 

The second line of each graphic gives the median age of that day's COVID deaths, followed by the low and high range of those deaths in age.

 

FYI, the MoPH has never produced an English language version of their daily COVID death recaps. And if I had referenced the infant deaths without citing a source, someone would likely have asked for it...

 

 

 

Edited March 5, 2022 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

This is an update posted yesterday re the COVID surge in other Asian region countries (weblinks in the excerpts below point to the original source reports):

Asia continues to report Omicron surges

"--Among countries reporting late Omicron variant surges, South Korea [yesterday] reported a new single-day high of 266,853 cases, along with 186 more deaths, according to Reuters.

 

--In Hong Kong, health officials reported 52,523 new cases, slightly lower than yesterday's daily record.

 

--Meanwhile, New Zealand ... Health officials are reporting staff shortages, with some city offices and industries also reporting major staff outages, according to Radio New Zealand."

 

(more)

 

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2022/03/la-drops-mask-mandate-nfl-drops-covid-19-protocols

 

Edited March 5, 2022 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Cake Monster]

Its a pretty damning insight into the Government that are Today urging the older Folk to get Vaccinated.

They should all have been double vaccinated over 18 Months ago, and should now be in the queue for boosters in front of the Hi-So,s

In a caring Society, the Old and Vulnerable are taken care of first.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

3 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

And the comparable numbers for the age 60 plus and younger children vaccination rates:

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/informationcovid19/photos/a.106455480972785/515890503362612/?type=3

 

 

Only close to 31% of Thailand's seniors have received their COVID booster dose thus far....  But I wouldn't blame that primarily on the government, although their initial reliance on Chinese vaccines and related slowness in launching mRNA vaccinations contributed.

 

But IMHO, also to blame has been loads of vaccine misinformation in social media and elsewhere, including this forum, that have made people either wary of getting vaccinated in the first place, or, more recently, convinced them that they don't really need the vaccine -- contrary to all credible medical advice.

 

[worrab]

A huge drop today to balance out the big rise previously to 493 cases on 4th March.

 

Health officials on Saturday (Mar 5) reported 234 new COVID-19 cases in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, of which 41 cases were found in Hua Hin.

Elsewhere in the province, 219 cases were found in Pranburi, 22 cases in Sam Roi Yot, 1 case in Kuiburi, 31 cases in Thap Sakae, 9 cases in Bang Saphan, 27 cases in Bang Saphan Noi, and 219 cases in Mueang Prachuap Khiri Khan.

The spike in cases was the result of a cluster discovered at military training school in Pranburi.

No new COVID-19 related deaths were reported in the province today.

 

https://www.huahintoday.com/local-news/mar-5-prachuap-reports-234-new-covid-19-cases-41-cases-in-hua-hin/

 

[edwinchester]

46 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

Its a pretty damning insight into the Government that are Today urging the older Folk to get Vaccinated.

They should all have been double vaccinated over 18 Months ago, and should now be in the queue for boosters in front of the Hi-So,s

In a caring Society, the Old and Vulnerable are taken care of first.

In our village there has been announcements over the tannoy and visits to each house urging people to get vaccinated. Some, mostly old, have just refused to get vaccinated. Wifey has heard stories they are worried about side effects or just plain suspicious.

I can't believe our village is the only health center in Thailand doing it's utmost to get most people, especially the elderly, vaccinated so unless you physically force people to get a shot there will always be some who remain unprotected.

[Neeranam]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

But IMHO, also to blame has been loads of vaccine misinformation in social media and elsewhere, including this forum, that have made people either wary of getting vaccinated in the first place, or, more recently, convinced them that they don't really need the vaccine -- contrary to all credible medical advice.

 

This forum has absolutely no bearing on why elderly Thais have not been vaccinated. 

I agree with you that one shouldn't blame the government. 

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

This forum has absolutely no bearing on why elderly Thais have not been vaccinated. 

I agree with you that one shouldn't blame the government. 

Where does @TallGuyJohninBKKever say that one shouldn't blame the government.  Are you trying to put words in his mouth....

[mommysboy]

3 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Only close to 31% of Thailand's seniors have received their COVID booster dose thus far....  But I wouldn't blame that primarily on the government, although their initial reliance on Chinese vaccines and related slowness in launching mRNA vaccinations contributed.

 

But IMHO, also to blame has been loads of vaccine misinformation in social media and elsewhere, including this forum, that have made people either wary of getting vaccinated in the first place, or, more recently, convinced them that they don't really need the vaccine -- contrary to all credible medical advice.

 

They seem to have been able to do it in peer countries, some with less resources at hand!  Thailand has even been making the AZ vaccine millions a month.  And this vaccine is arguably the best for the elderly since it appears to have a very strong T cell profile.

 

It's the absolute number one priority, because most serious illness occurs in the elderly and vulnerable.  In fact this is even more apparent with the omicron variant where the overwhelming majority of well younger people get a nasty cold at worst.

 

 

Edited March 5, 2022 by mommysboy

[Neeranam]

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

Where does @TallGuyJohninBKKever say that one shouldn't blame the government.  Are you trying to put words in his mouth....

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Where does @TallGuyJohninBKKever say that one shouldn't blame the government.  Are you trying to put words in his mouth....

 

Ya, I said I wouldn't "primarily" blame the government for a certain segment of the population not yet having been vaccinated, and some clearly because they've chosen not to.

 

I probably could also have said, I wouldn't "exclusively" blame the local government. In my view, as I alluded with the Chinese vaccines and slow mRNA rollout comments, they share some blame, as does the torrent of social media vaccine misinformation that people have been flooded with.

 

My wife's mother age 70s living up country is a good example. She's declined thus far to get vaccinated, even though she had opportunities to do so. When I inquired, the answer I got back was she had concerns after talking to friends and watching unspecified YouTube videos in Thai....  And the Chinese-origin vaccine products weren't a great appeal either.

 

 

Edited March 5, 2022 by TallGuyJohninBKK