Doctor warns of surge in Covid infections, over 18,000 cases daily

As the number of Covid-19 patients admitted to hospitals with lung infections continues to climb, an expert in preventive medicine, and a doctor from Chulalongkorn University issued a stark warning, predicting that daily infections in Thailand could surpass 18,000 individuals.

Associate Professor Doctor Thira Woratanarat, a faculty member at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine, expressed his concerns in a recent Facebook post, urging schools to remain vigilant in the face of this escalating threat.

Dr Thira based his projections on data released by the Public Health Ministry for the previous week (May 12 to 18), estimating that the virus may currently be infecting between 13,443 and 18,671 individuals daily.

Although he did not delve into the specifics of his methodology, he emphasised the gravity of the situation given the concerning statistics provided.

According to the report, 1,882 Covid patients were hospitalised last week, with 16 fatalities recorded. Of those admitted, 679 individuals developed lung infections, while 281 required ventilator support.

Dr Thira highlighted the continuous increase in admissions over the past 10 weeks, with lung infections showing a persistent 15.5% rise from the previous week, marking the seventh consecutive week of escalation in this category.

Moreover, cases requiring ventilator assistance surged by 18.6% last week, reaching the highest levels in 17 months.

In light of these alarming trends, the Doctor emphasised the need for proactive measures within educational institutions. He urged schools to closely monitor the health of their students, implementing measures to isolate symptomatic individuals or transitioning to online classes for those showing signs of illness.

Additionally, he advised parents to remain vigilant, conducting rapid antigen tests on any unwell children to mitigate the risk of Covid transmission.

Furthermore, Dr Thira underscored the importance of continued personal protective measures, advocating for the widespread use of face masks, particularly in outdoor settings, as a vital safeguard against the virus.

With Covid infections showing no signs of abating, he stressed the collective responsibility to prioritise public health and safety in the face of this evolving threat, reported The Nation.