Covid-19 infections up 12.8% last week

Despite everyone in Thailand – and the rest of the world – being bored of it, Covid-19 is still here. Last week, new Covid infections in Thailand rose 12.8%. The greatest leaps were seen in tourist areas and Bangkok. In the last week, an average of six people per day died of the coronavirus, while 3,166 people were admitted to hospitals for treatment of the virus.

The vast majority of patients on ventilators over the past week were people that were either unvaccinated or had not had a booster shot. The Department of Disease Control expected this surge in infections as Covid was downgraded in Thailand while tourism numbers and crowds began to grow, according to the director-general.

“It had been expected there would be small waves after Covid-19 was redefined as a communicable disease under surveillance on October 1. The number of patients admitted to hospitals rose in Greater Bangkok and tourist provinces, especially in the East and the South where there are more Thai and foreign tourists as well as crowd activities.”

While infections spiked, those who were significantly ill rose less sharply, and Covid deaths remained relatively flat, according to Bangkok Post. Among the unvaccinated, the numbers of seriously ill were much higher. On November 12, there were 178 people with Covid infections requiring ventilators, while 329 more had lung inflammation.

The increase in new Covid infections was enough to cause the deputy director-general of the DDC to call for unvaccinated older people to stay at home. He also suggested that people who visit high-risk areas like entertainment venues avoid visiting older relatives to prevent accidentally infecting them.

Professor Yong Poovorawan of the Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine, an often outspoken expert on Covid, said the rise is predictable. He says the colder weather at the onset of winter and the downpours of the rainy season can be expected to bring more infections. It is common for respiratory infections to increase in the cold.

He did stress the importance of current vaccination, suggesting that people who have been jabbed more than six months ago should consider a booster shot to give them maximum protection. Dr Yong said that widespread vaccination and more effective Covid treatment medication prevented this surge in infections from being an emergency.

“The outbreak this time will be much milder because most people have had Covid-19 vaccines and have a high immunity against Covid infection. Moreover, we also have access to high-quality and effective medicines such as molnupiravir, paxlovid, and remdesivir.”