Covid UPDATE: 3,394 new infections, provincial totals

3,394 new Covid-19 cases and 29 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing, raising the culumative count since the start of the pandemic last year to 116,948 confirmed infections and the death toll to 678.

Out of the 3,394 new cases, 1,498 were detected in prisons. Thousands of inmates in at least 12 prisons in Thailand have tested positive for Covid-19.

There are now 41,903 active Covid-19 cases in Thailand. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Natapanu Nopakun, who gives the CCSA report in English, says many of the recent infections involve those in crowded communities or worker camps. He says the virus is often spread among family members who eat together and use the same utensils.

Bangkok remains the epicentre of infections with 876 new cases. There are now 34 Covid-19 clusters in the capital. Natapanu says health officials are rolling out active case finding campaigns. Out of 300,000 tested through the active case finding, 3% have been positive for Covid-19, he says.

Little information was reported today about the new Covid-related fatalities. Most patients who died while infected with the coronavirus had underlying health conditions.

Vaccines… 

So far, 859,872 people in Thailand have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19. The CCSA aims to vaccinate 5 million Bangkok residents in the next 2 months. Nationwide, the Thai government has set a goal of vaccinating 50 million people by the end of the year.

Provinces with the highest number of new Covid-19 cases…