12 hospitals in Bangkok stop Covid-19 testing due to limited beds for infected patients

So far, around 12 hospitals in Bangkok have stopped Covid-19 testing, due to either a shortage of supplies or not enough beds to admit patients if they test positive for the virus.

While media reports say the hospitals have stopped testing due to a lack of supplies, a spokesperson for the CCSA the reason many private hospitals in Thailand are refusing to test people for Covid is because there are limited beds available for the Covid-positive patients.

“The main issue actually is that when a hospital finds a particular individual to be positive for Covid, it is understood that they must be admitting that particular patient.”

Spokesperson Natapanu Nopakun says PM Prayut Chan-o-cha had a meeting this morning with representatives from the Private Hospital Association as well as other organisations to discuss the situation. Natapanu says the government is working on increasing the number of available beds by opening care facilities at hotels as well as setting up field hospitals. The Thai military is setting up 10 field hospitals in Bangkok, which is expected to provide another 3,000 beds.

Some hospitals made posts on social media saying they were suspending Covid-19 testing. Some say for a few days while others did not give a timeframe.

Bangkok is the epicentre in the new wave of infections, most clusters are in the Thong Lor nightlife district. The Thai government has deployed mobile testing units to areas were clusters of infections have been reported.

SOURCES: CCSA | Reuters