Monday Covid Update: 5,485 new cases and 19 deaths, provincial totals

A record high of 5,485 new Covid-19 infections were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. 19 coronavirus-related deaths were also reported today, raising the pandemic’s death toll in Thailand to 1,031. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has reported a total of 159,792 Covid-19 cases, including 130,929 infections reported in the latest wave of infections since April 1.

Out of the new infections, 1,953 cases were reported in correctional facilities, adding to the thousands of inmates at more than a dozen Thai prisons who have tested positive for Covid-19 in recent weeks. Other infections have been in Bangkok, concentrated at crowded places such as markets, construction camps, factories and settlements. Most of the new cases were detected through active case finding campaigns at high risk areas such as construction sites.

There are 50,416 active Covid-19 cases including 1,233 patients who have pneumonitis, or lung inflammation, and 390 patients are on ventilators.

Out of the new deaths, most were in Bangkok. More than half of the patients were infected by family members.

Phuket has recorded 8 new cases today as the countdown starts to tick down to the July 1 official start of the ‘Sandbox’ model which will allow vaccinated travellers to arrive without quarantine.

Provinces with the highest number of new confirmed cases…