COVID UPDATE: Highest daily case count recorded in Thailand at 2,070

The daily Covid-19 infection count hit a record high at 2,070, the CCSA reported today in its daily briefing. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the number of new cases reported each day has remained under 2,000. It was also reported 4 more coronavirus-related deaths, raising the total number of Covid fatalities in Thailand since the start of the pandemic to 121 deaths.

Active cases have reached 19,873 cases, more than double the peak from the last wave of infections which topped at 7,234 active cases. There have been 21,320 cases and 27 Covid-related deaths since the April 1 outbreak where cases spread primarily at entertainment venues and nightlife events. Doctors have pointed to the UK variant (B117) of the virus to the recent spread of infections which is more contagious than the original strain.

“We have a new high number of new confirmed cases at 2,070… Today our new high surpasses 2,000.”

“Out of the 2,070 new cases, 1,902 are local transmissions and 160 cases were detected in active case finding. The other 8 cases were detected in quarantine for those entering Thailand from overseas. 740 of the new cases were reported in Bangkok while 237 cases were in Chiang Mai with a cluster of cases linked to meditation venues. 125 were in Chon Buri, 38 in Surat Thani, and 35 in Rayong.”

Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has reported a total of 50,183 Covid-19 infections. Deputy spokesperson for the Ministery of Foreign Affairs Natapanu Nopakun, who gives the CCSA report in English, says that compared to Thailand’s population of around 70 million people, the cumulative number of infections is low, but adds that the risk of infection “remains high.”

Out of the 4 new Covid-related deaths, a 29 year old woman in Bangkok died after testing positive for Covid-19. Natapnau says the woman was obese and did not report any other health conditions. The case is similar to the death reported yesterday of a 24 year old woman in Surat Thani who was also obese and died a few days after testing positive for Covid-19.

The other deaths reported today include a 72 year old man from Bangkok who visited Phuket, a 74 year old man from Songkhla who had pre-existing conditions of high blood pressure and heart problems, and a 83 year old man who had diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease and was on a ventilator.

Some nursing homes in Bangkok are testing residents and staff after 3 cases were found to be linked to the nursing homes. Natapanu says the elderly age group is more at risk of Covid-19 infection and the small cluster of cases linked to nursing homes is a “serious situation.”