Covid UPDATE Sunday: 3,995 new cases and 42 deaths
For Sunday the public health department have announced another 3,995 new infections and 42 Covid-related deaths. Only 45 more cases were detected in Thai prisons, a sharp drop off from a few weeks ago when the daily cases from prisons were in the 100s.
The main outbreaks around Thailand are occurring in the capital, adjoining provinces, and provinces directly to the east (including Chon Buri), southern Thailand, principally in the deep southern border provinces. Even Phang Nga, directly north from Phuket, recorded 38 new cases yesterday.
Today’s announcement of provincial totals will be published after lunchtime.
• Today and tomorrow the vaccine roll out continues in earnest in Phuket at 6 vaccine locations around the island. The southern tourist island is poised to re-open to vaccinated travellers from this Thursday.
• After the government announced yesterday a one-month closure of construction camps, the Federation of Thai Industries and many other business associations complained that the action was too weak. The FTI and other business groups believe that a full lockdown is necessary to control Covid-19 outbreaks in Bangkok and half-measures like this are ineffective at best.
Many business groups expressing frustration over the government’s failure to bring the Covid-19 pandemic’s third wave under control in Thailand and botching the vaccine roll out which has been hampered with inadequate supplies.
Meanwhile thousands of labourers and other migrant workers are being ‘locked down’, virtually imprisoned in their high density housing zones as officials try and quell the clusters of outbreaks around the capital.
• The north east province of Buriram has imposed a 14 day quarantine for all arrivals from Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Chachoengsao, Chon Buri, Trat, Nakhon Pathom, Pattani, Phetchaburi, Songkhla, Samut Sakhon, Saraburi, Yala and Narathiwat.
• The Equitable Education Fund has announced that school dropout rates in Thailand have increased as the new semester begins, and found a correlation with households economically affected by Covid-19.
