Covid-19 cases surge 39% in a week, public urged to take precautions

[webfact]

Image via Flickr

 

by Mitch Connor

The Department of Disease Control issued a public warning yesterday, alerting citizens to the resurgence of Covid-19 and urging them to take necessary precautions to protect themselves.

 

The director-general, Dr Tares Krassanairawiwong, revealed that there were 2,356 Covid-19 inpatients last week, marking a 39% increase from the previous week.

 

Additionally, the number of patients suffering from lung inflammation and requiring ventilators rose by approximately 45%. Covid related fatalities also doubled on a weekly basis.

 

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/news/national/covid-19-cases-surge-39-in-a-week-public-urged-to-take-precautions

 

-- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-05-16

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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[dinsdale]

Watching the election Sun night there was basically not a mask to be seen yet the fear mongering continues. A friend told he knows someone who is going for their 6th jab. Again the inpatient numbers do not say if it's incedental i.e. gone to hospital for something else and covid has been detected or the age and comorbidity status of the patients. Covid is here to stay and let's just hope it remains the non severe, non fatal (for the majority) Omicron strain.

[Pouatchee]

Just found out a couple months ago I have COPD. Had a pneumonia that wreaked havoc on me, and I dread what covid could do.

 

Sometimes we have to consider what we think because there are always facts that elude us. My case of COPD is right in the 1/2 between mild and severe, but many people have it worse than me and are in an even more precarious situation.

 

People's fortunes can turn around quickly...

[h90]

42 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Watching the election Sun night there was basically not a mask to be seen yet the fear mongering continues. A friend told he knows someone who is going for their 6th jab. Again the inpatient numbers do not say if it's incedental i.e. gone to hospital for something else and covid has been detected or the age and comorbidity status of the patients. Covid is here to stay and let's just hope it remains the non severe, non fatal (for the majority) Omicron strain.

friend of my staff was many month ago at the 7th.

[webfact]

COVID-19 infections and deaths rise steadily since Songkran
 

 

COVID-19  infections in Thailand have been rising steadily since Songkran in mid-April, to an average of 336 cases a day, an increase of 39% over last week, according to Dr. Tares Krassanairawiwong, director-general of the Disease Control Department.

 

He said yesterday (Monday) that the number of lung infections and patients requiring ventilators this week has increased by about 45%, compared to last week, whereas the death toll is twice that of last week. About 55% of the deaths involve people who were unvaccinated or who had low immunity to COVID-19.

 

He recommended that people who had their last dose of vaccine or who were last infected more than six months ago receive an additional vaccine dose and get vaccinated against influenza simultaneously, to reduce the risk of severe symptoms from infection by either of the viruses.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/covid-19-infections-and-deaths-rise-steadily-since-songkran/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-05-16

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The Department of Disease Control issued a public warning yesterday, alerting citizens to the resurgence of Covid-19 and urging them to take necessary precautions to protect themselves

As they always should... not just from Covid.

[huangnon]

Change of seasons, rainfall, and viruses mutate to survive, as they always do.

 

A few of my staff have tested + on the wildly different standard ATK kits at our site and customer's plant.

No one is actually sick, though.

[Pink Mist]

A troll post has been removed.

[Man Mart]

Caution is required, especially for those with vulnerable conditions. Earlier gung ho responses are just ill considered bravado, until a change in individual life circumstances change their views..

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Compared to the latest report of 2,356 new COVID hospitalizations last week, the comparable number at the start of April for Thailand was under 200 per week.

 

That's now six straight weeks of increased COVID hospitalizations and a total more than 12 fold  increase over that period of time.

 

And now by far the highest weekly total of new COVID hospitalizations thus far in 2023 -- though still lower than the comparable weekly numbers from last year.

 

Bottom line: COVID has not gone away or disappeared in Thailand, and now is on a continuing spring spike that began before the start of Songkran.

 

The current weekly stats equate to an average of 336 new COVID hospitalizations per day... with serious condition and intubation hospitalizations due to COVID also rising.

 

Despite the WHO's recent declaration ending their public health emergency status for COVID, as the WHO noted at the time, COVID is continuing to sicken and kill many people around the world -- even if most are older age and otherwise vulnerable.

 

Now the question is, will next week bring yet another, 7th straight week of rising COVID hospitalizations in Thailand? How long will the current spike continue?

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Curiously, both news reports here say COVID deaths doubled last week from the week before, but dont mention the actual weekly numbers of COVID deaths.

 

For the record, MoPH's official weekly COVID deaths count 2 weeks ago was 10. The actual official COVID weekly deaths tally for last week was 22 according to MoPH -- again, I believe, the highest weekly total of 2023.

 

In addition:

 

--322 current COVID cases among the total hospitalized in serious condition.

 

--And, 163 current COVID hospitalizations so sick that they've had to be intubated in order to enable them to breathe.

 

Now 320 official COVID deaths thus far this year in Thailand, and 12,437 total COVID hospitalizations.

 

 

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

 

 

[RichardColeman]

My wife (45) and daughter (6) currently have it now - maybe showing for 3 days - probably from an obese Bolt driver coughing and spluttering his guts up after being shoe horned into the car.

 

Daughter pretty much over it in 48 hours - but will keep her off school for a bit.

 

Wife is getting hit worse, high temp, sore throat, cough, and oddly lots of poo !!

 

Me totally fine - guess my 3 UK vaccines were better than the 6 Thai ones they took

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The COVID vaccines do their best job of protecting people for about the first 4-6 months post vaccination.

 

Many people who wrongly believed or were told COVID is no longer a threat haven't kept current with recent boosters or gotten the newer bivalent vaccines that just recently have become available in Thailand.

 

Not surprisingly, amid the current COVID spike here, suddenly, lots more people asking about how and where to get vaccinated.

 

Particularly if someone is among the COVID risk groups, wise to keep up with the COVID booster shots. Year or two year old shots are likely to have minimal or much decreased protection now.

[dinsdale]

35 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Compared to the latest report of 2,356 new COVID hospitalizations last week, the comparable number at the start of April for Thailand was under 200 per week.

 

That's now six straight weeks of increased COVID hospitalizations and a total more than 12 fold  increase over that period of time.

 

And now by far the highest weekly total of new COVID hospitalizations thus far in 2023 -- though still lower than the comparable weekly numbers from last year.

 

Bottom line: COVID has not gone away or disappeared in Thailand, and now is on a continuing spring spike that began before the start of Songkran.

 

The current weekly stats equate to an average of 336 new COVID hospitalizations per day... with serious condition and intubation hospitalizations due to COVID also rising.

 

Despite the WHO's recent declaration ending their public health emergency status for COVID, as the WHO noted at the time, COVID is continuing to sicken and kill many people around the world -- even if most are older age and otherwise vulnerable.

 

Now the question is, will next week bring yet another, 7th straight week of rising COVID hospitalizations in Thailand? How long will the current spike continue?

 

Of course covid has not gone away and it won't. It's a virus. People get sick and go to hospital. Are they sick from covid or are they sick from something else and have Covid? We are not told. We are not told what variant is circulating. We are not told about comorbidities in serious cases or death. We are not told if deaths are from or with Covid/Omicron. Without this important information these become just numbers either attributable or not to Covid/Omicron. One would now expect another spike after the election weekend where basically no masks were in sight. Will this be the case? Will all the politicians and journalists who were not wearing masks become ill and go to hospital or die?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 minute ago, dinsdale said:

Of course covid has not gone away and it won't. It's a virus. People get sick and go to hospital. Are they sick from covid or are they sick from something else and have Covid? We are not told. We are not told what variant is circulating. We are not told about comorbidities in serious cases or death. We are not told if deaths are from or with Covid/Omicron. Without this important information these become just numbers either attributable or not to Covid/Omicron. One would now expect another spike after the election weekend where basically no masks were in sight. Will this be the case? Will all the politicians and journalists who were not wearing masks become ill and go to hospital or die?

I'm sure the Thai MoPH would be happy to hear your complaints that they should provide MORE info and details on Thailand's current COVID spike...

 

I agree, they should.

 

And under the current circumstance, people would be well advise to resume wearing face masks when close around others, particularly in indoor settings.

 

The MoPH has been ADVISING that now for some time... But the message largely got lost amid all the recent national election coverage... Plus some folks, just dont want to listen regardless.

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

As has been explained here many times before, the younger and healthy people have low odds of getting seriously ill or dying from the current version of COVID.

 

BUT....those same younger and heathy people very easily can become infected, and then unknowingly spread the virus to others around them, who may become seriously ill and die...

 

That's why it's a PUBLIC health issue, not an "I'm OK, so I don't care about anyone else" issue.

 

[dinsdale]

5 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

I'm sure the Thai MoPH would be happy to hear your complaints that they should provide MORE info and details on Thailand's current COVID spike...

 

I agree, they should.

 

And under the current circumstance, people would be well advise to resume wearing face masks when close around others, particularly in indoor settings.

 

The MoPH has been ADVISING that now for some time... But the message largely got lost amid all the recent national election coverage... Plus some folks, just dont want to listen regardless.

 

 

Did you watch any of the election coverage? No masks stacks of people all in an indoor setting.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

4 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Did you watch any of the election coverage? No masks stacks of people all in an indoor setting.

I did... and that's setting a very poor example for the public and the country, IMO.

 

Every time a person makes a choice about their behavior, they have the potential to worsen -- or lessen -- the current COVID spike.

 

 

[dinsdale]

1 minute ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

As has been explained here many times before, the younger and healthy people have low odds of getting seriously ill or dying from the current version of COVID.

 

BUT....those same younger and heathy people very easily can become infected, and then unknowingly spread the virus to others around them, who may become seriously ill and die...

 

That's why it's a PUBLIC health issue, not an "I'm OK, so I don't care about anyone else" issue.

 

Vaccine boosters will not stop a person catching or spreading the virus. The efficacy of masks is questionable. People take their masks down to eat. People take their masks down to sneeze. People wear their mask around their chin. People pull their mask down to talk on the phone. Masks are poorly fitted etc. Again there were basically no masks to be seen on the election coverage. Presenters not wearing them. Politicians not wearing them. Supportes not wearing the and journalists not wearing them. We're talking thousands of people live on TV.

[transam]

6 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Did you watch any of the election coverage? No masks stacks of people all in an indoor setting.

And you can't work out why Covid is on the increase....???? 

[transam]

1 minute ago, dinsdale said:

Vaccine boosters will not stop a person catching or spreading the virus. The efficacy of masks is questionable. People take their masks down to eat. People take their masks down to sneeze. People wear their mask around their chin. People pull their mask down to talk on the phone. Masks are poorly fitted etc. Again there were basically no masks to be seen on the election coverage. Presenters not wearing them. Politicians not wearing them. Supportes not wearing the and journalists not wearing them. We're talking thousands of people live on TV.

The "agenda" speaks....................

[dinsdale]

7 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

I did... and that's setting a very poor example for the public and the country, IMO.

 

Every time a person makes a choice about their behavior, they have the potential to worsen -- or lessen -- the current COVID spike.

 

 

So Europe, America, Uk, Australia etc where masks have come off all these countries and people are setting a bad example. You can't be serious. People have accepted that it's Omicron and is for the majority a non serious and non fatal virus. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 minute ago, dinsdale said:

Vaccine boosters will not stop a person catching or spreading the virus. The efficacy of masks is questionable. People take their masks down to eat. People take their masks down to sneeze. People wear their mask around their chin. People pull their mask down to talk on the phone. Masks are poorly fitted etc. Again there were basically no masks to be seen on the election coverage. Presenters not wearing them. Politicians not wearing them. Supportes not wearing the and journalists not wearing them. We're talking thousands of people live on TV.

Vaccines still do, for some months post vax, reduce the odds of both catching and spreading the current virus. Numerous studies have documented that, and the protective benefits of wearing face masks as well...

 

But, the key word there is REDUCE the risk, not eliminate it.

 

Thats why combining the two together -- current up to date vax and consistent face mask wear -- helps reduce the risks for everyone.

 

[transam]

Just now, dinsdale said:

So Europe, America, Uk, Australia etc where masks have come off all these countries and people are setting a bad example. You can't be serious. People have accepted that it's Omicron and is for the majority a non serious and non fatal virus. 

You are dangerous...........

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

If the US was having a 12 fold increase in COVID hospitalizations like Thailand over a six week period, people there would be changing their habits as well...

 

[fusion58]

4 hours ago, Man Mart said:

Caution is required, especially for those with vulnerable conditions. Earlier gung ho responses are just ill considered bravado, until a change in individual life circumstances change their views..

Yep.

 

Gotta love the “I don’t belong to a high risk group, so I don’t give a <deleted>” attitudes.

[dinsdale]

12 minutes ago, fusion58 said:

Yep.

 

Gotta love the “I don’t belong to a high risk group, so I don’t give a <deleted>” attitudes.

This is complete nonsense. People in high risk groups have to look after themselves. This is the reality. People with auto immune disease have to look after themselves. That's what happens. That is reality. It's life so get on with it.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Weekly COVID hospitalizations in red, and COVID deaths in dark gray:

 

COVID in Thailand - April 2-8

 

COVID in Thailand - May 7-13

 

https://www.facebook.com/informationcovid19/photos

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Bivalent vaccine 72% protective against Omicron infection

"In Open Forum Infectious Diseases, researchers share their case-control study, which measured the effectiveness of bivalent (two-strain) COVID-19 mRNA vaccines against symptomatic infection during the BA.5-dominant period in Japan—September 20 through December 31, 2022.

 

This is one of the first studies to measure VE of newer BA.4/BA.5-containing bivalent vaccines, which were developed in 2022 to target highly transmissible Omicron subvariants.

...

The VE of bivalent vaccine (regardless of which subvariant the vaccine targeted) was 72% (95% confidence interval [CI], 61% to 80%) against Omicron infection."

 

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/bivalent-covid-vaccine-shows-good-omicron-protection-while-older-version-wanes

 

 

[AndyFoxy]

8 hours ago, h90 said:

friend of my staff was many month ago at the 7th.

7th jab? Sweet Jesus.