Pattani Covid-19 spike fills nearly all field hospital beds

In the Deep South province of Pattani, health officials are reporting that field hospital beds are about full with 4,000 patients in care as Covid-19 numbers surge in the region. The Pattani Provincial Public Health Office is racing to create community isolation treatment centres to house up to 10,000 patients as Covid-19 infections continue to mount.

The region is imposing stronger Covid-19 safety measures as the head of the PPPHO has asked the disease control committee to tighten up regulations on eating businesses, markets, and mosques in the province.

Pattani has had nearly 27,000 Covid-19 infections with a record 566 new infections yesterday and 327 cumulative deaths. Muang district alone has 1,264 active infections currently and has reopened several field hospitals to deal with the patient burden.

Pattani Hospital is also struggling to keep up with the surge in infections, not only scrambling for available beds, but also experiencing a staffing shortage as some of the medical workers there have caught Covid-19 as well. Some patients are being transferred to Somdejprayuparach Hospital in Sai Buri district, especially those requiring surgery as Pattani Hospital lacks the surgical staff to carry out the procedures.

Neighbouring provinces aren’t faring much better, as Songkhla saw 475 new Covid-19 infections yesterday bringing their active infections total to 6,340 currently. Daily new infections over the past week have been regularly between 400 and 600 each day.

Over 36,000 people have been infected with the virus so far, and provincial officials have now set up checkpoints for entry from the high-risk southern provinces surrounding it. District hotspots for outbreaks include Hat Yai, Chana, Muang, Rattaphum, Saba Yoi , Singha Nakhon, and Thepa districts.

Vaccination is a key issue at the root of the surge of Covid-19 cases in Pattani, with less than 50% of the population vaccinated and 90% of the patients currently in treatment for Covid-19 being unvaccinated.

The surge in Covid-19 cases is expected to continue for the new few weeks at least.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post