Covid UPDATE: 19,983 infections, provincial totals

This morning the Thai public health department have announced a further 19,983 infections and 138 Covid-related deaths to Thailand’s total number of cases – 756,505. 350 of the total of today’s new cases are from Thai prisons. Whilst the new daily totals tally is under 20,000 for the first time in nearly a week, the Sunday totals are often lower than other days of reporting.

18,503 patients have been released from hospitals around Thailand.

Here are the provincial totals released just after lunch and published in the government’s NBT…

• All Covid patients will receive the antiviral drug Favipiravir, AKA Avigan, says the Public Health Ministry. In fact, the government is planning to stockpile 420 million tablets.

Yesterday, the Department of Medical Services announced that health officials can administer the drug to all groups of Covid patients.

Before yesterday’s announcement, green coded patients with mild to no symptoms that were under home isolation/community isolation only got the Fah Talai Jone herb as a treatment. It should be noted that Fah Talai Jone has dubious empirical evidence that suggests it’s effective against combatting Covid. Full story HERE.

• As of last week, 35,455 expats in Thailand had registered with expatvac.consular.go.th fro receive their Covid vaccines as part of the government rollout. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 7,793 are 60+ and 2,500 have “underlying health conditions”.

The registrants will be informed of the dates and locations for their first dose of vaccination “soon”.

• The National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology believes that the solution to Covid-19 vaccination may be right under our noses. Thai virologists at BIOTEC have 2 nasal spray options currently in development for domestic production that may act as a substitute for Covid-19 vaccines in needle form. They believe a nasal spray or inhaler may provide additional benefits as well.

Covid vaccines traditionally stimulate antibodies in the bloodstream after entering the body via intramuscular injection. But Covid-19 is generally spread through respiratory droplets that enter the body orally or nasally. A nasal spray could deliver protection right at the source of transmission, developing antibodies in the nasal passage where Covid-19 typically enters the body. Read the full story HERE.

• Thailand’s Public Health Ministry will allow people who test positive with an antigen test kit, to receive treatment from the National Health Security Office.

People with positive tests are now categorised as “probable cases”, according to the NBT. They can isolate at home or seek hospital admission at any of more than 100 facilities in 50 districts of Bangkok.

The ministry has instructed those facilities to start admitting those who have a positive home test immediately, adding that, in some communities, isolation will begin even during the wait for the test result itself, before being allowed home if the result is negative.

SOURCES: FRB | NBT