Monday Covid UPDATE: 9,635 Covid infections and 25 death

Today’s high infection report stems from more positive infections emerging from Bangkok’s prison system (below). In the past 24 hours Bangkok and Thailand’s provinces have accumulated another 9,635 infections and 25 Covid-related deaths. 6,853 of today’s total is from Bangkok prisons. If you take the new prison cases out of the equation, there has been an additional 2,782 cases for the Monday report.

Today’s steep rise in cases co-incides with the downgrading of some provinces from Dark Red Zones and others from Red to Orange Zones.

Thailand’s total number of Covid-19 cases is now 111,082 since the start of the outbreak in the country.

• 1,104 more confirmed Covid cases were recorded yesterday in the Thonburi Remand Prison. That’s in addition to the 1,219 infections reported at 3 prisons yesterday…

• Thonburi Remand Prison – 621 infections
• Klong Prem Central Prison – 510 infections
• Bangkok Remand Prison – 88 infections

• The BMA has announced an extension of temporary closures of public venues in Bangkok until May 31. But restaurants will be able to remain open for limited number of customers (25% seating ratio) for eating in until 9pm. Takeaways can continue up to 11pm. Bangkok’s public parks will remain closed in the meantime.

• From yesterday, the new arrival regime comes into force in Phuket. Everyone arriving on the island, by land or air, must either have proof of vaccination or have have a negative Covid test from the past 24 hours. Up until yesterday people arriving in Phuket without a negative test or proof of vaccination were given a rapid antigen test on arrival – at cost of 500 baht for foreigners and free for Thais.

• A temporary 200-bed field hospital in Nakhon Ratchasima was closed down yesterday due to the declining Covid cases. The temporary hospital was in the National Gymnasium Hall, built for the 80th anniversary of the Chaloem Phra Kiat Stadium.

The north eastern province has had 799 total infections, 287 patients are still undergoing treatment related to their Covid status in other hospitals in the province.

• The Thai PM is waiving the wearing of face-masks for speakers during parliamentary sessions and meetings inside the parliament building. But MPs are only allowed to remove their masks when actually speaking.

The PM’s ‘mask off’ edict comes into effect from today and includes local administration meetings.

Last month the PM was captured in a government photo of him chairing a meeting without his mask. He was fined 6,000 baht for his momentary lapse of face-mask protocol.

SOURCE: FRB | Bangkok Post