Available Covid patient beds at Bangkok hospitals hit “critical level”

The available beds at Bangkok hospitals for Covid-19 patients have hit a “critical level” with only 10% of beds now open for those with severe coronavirus symptoms, according to the Public Health Ministry. With the uptick in Covid-19 cases over the past several months and a sharp increase over the past few weeks, said to be due to the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant, public hospitals have been at their limit.

There are 1,000 beds at Bangkok hospitals for patients classified in the “red” group, those with severe symptoms and require respirators. Only around 100 of those beds are vacant, according to the director of the ministry’s Health Administration Division, Dr Korakrit Limsommut.

There are 415 available beds in hospitals and another 449 beds in hospital isolation rooms for Covid patients classified in the “yellow” group with moderate coronavirus symptoms. For patients who are asymptomatic, there are 500 vacant beds at field hospitals and another 4,200 at so-called “hospitels” which are designated areas, like quarantine centres, to house patients with mild to no symptoms.

Health officials expect daily infections to continue to increase, and even double in the coming weeks due to the spread of the Delta variant of the virus. Field hospitals to treat those with moderate to severe symptoms are being set up in the Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand