Thursday Covid Update: Cases and deaths spike amid Phuket reopening

Just as Phuket is reopening to foreign tourists, Thailand’s current and most severe wave has hit a high of 52,052 active Covid-19 cases, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The daily death toll has set a record high with 57 coronavirus-related fatalities today, raising the total Covid fatality count since the start of the pandemic to 2,080.

5,533 new Covid-19 cases were reported today, an increase over the past few weeks. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has reported 264,834 Covid-19 cases. The latest and most severe wave of Covid-19 in Thailand has accounted for 235,971 of those cases.

Out of the 52,052 active cases, there are currently 1,971 patients in critical condition, including 561 people on ventilators.

Bangkok remains the epicentre of infections with 1,960 new Covid-19 cases. Surrounding the capital, 435 new cases were reported in Samut Prakan, 321 in Pathum Thani, 298 in Samut Sakhon, 231 in Nakhon Pathom, and 224 in Nonthaburi.

In Thailand’s Deep South, 272 new cases were reported in Songkhla, 180 in Pattani, and 136 in Yala. Cases are also still high in Chon Buri with 261 new cases reported today.

Vaccine updates…

9.9 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been administered since February 28, slightly under the Thai government’s target of 10 million doses administered by the end of June. So far, 2.8 million people have received their second dose of the vaccine.

In Phuket, 70% of the population on the island province have received their at least one dose of the vaccine while 56% have received both doses. Health officials accelerated the vaccination campaign on the island in an effort to reach herd immunity in time for reopening today.