Monday Covid Update: 17,491 new cases; provincial totals

17,491 new Covid-19 cases and 242 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. In the 24-hour period since the last count, 22,134 recoveries from Covid-19 have been reported. There are now 195,454 people being treated for the coronavirus.

Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has reported 1,066,786 Covid-19 infections. The latest and most severe wave, first recorded on April 1, has accounted for 1,037,923 of those cases.

The daily infection rate is becoming “stable,” according to Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Natapanu Nopakun, who gives the daily CCSA report in English.

Bangkok remains the epicentre with 3,472 new Covid-19 cases reported today. Infection rates are also still high in provinces surrounding the capital with 1,396 new cases in Samut Sakhon, 1,296 in Samut Prakan and 781 in Nonthaburi. Chon Buri, which includes Pattaya, reported 953 new cases today.

“We are still having a high number of fatalities.”

The Covid-19 death rate remains high with 242 new fatalities today including 79 in Bangkok. Out of the 9,562 Covid-related deaths reported since last year, 9,468 have been in the recent wave.

“We must remain steadfast in our efforts to inoculate the highest number of people possible, particularly those who are in the vulnerable group.”

Natapanu says that in Bangkok, 80% of those in the “vulnerable group,” which includes those over 60, pregnant women, and those with underlying health conditions, have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. Since the start of the Thai government’s vaccination campaign on February 28, a total of 27 million doses of the vaccine have been administered.

Provincial totals by the Thai government’s news bureau…