Phuket Covid-19 infections break 100 for the second time

The Phuket Sandbox originally planned to suspend or revise the programme if ever Covid-19 infections reached over 90 in a week, but that ideal has been abandoned as daily infections hit triple digits for the second time in a week. Local infections hit a new record today of 109, topping the August 11 record of 104 by 5 people as the total number of cases in Covid-19’s third wave edges towards 2,000 in Phuket, with 1,940 as of now. The daily total did not include 70 possible cases that tested positive using antigen test kits but need to be verified.

The rising infections did push authorities to extend the restrictions closing off Phuket island until the end of the month.

The Phuket Provincial Public Health Office announced some good news though. No new infections were uncovered in international travellers entering through the Phuket Sandbox scheme, and the Bring Phuket People Home campaign that brings locals who were infected in other provinces back to the island for treatment also didn’t bring in any Covid-19 patients yesterday.

The rolling weekly total that had originally been capped at 90 infections broke the 500 mark this week with 507 people being found to have Covid-19 in Phuket from August 8 to August 14. Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday were near the daily average of 72 infections, but Wednesday and Friday dipped to infection numbers in the 30s. Thursday and Sunday both reached over 100 new Coivd-19 infections though.

Aside from the 1,940 people infected locally in Phuket, several other categories are omitted in official totals. 57 people who are part of the Phuket Sandbox scheme are not counted in the local infections total, along with 38 patients infected in other provinces with Covid-19 who were from Phuket and brought back for treatment in the Bring Phuket People Home programme. Additionally, 21 people with Covid-19 infections who brought it in from other countries and 9 people who were infected in other provinces and then travelled to Phuket are not included in the total of 1,940.

Hospitals in Phuket are taking in new patients and releasing old ones in a revolving door with 44 patients being discharged yesterday, 1,229 total patients released from hospital care in total, but the total number of patients under supervision or care from medical facilities actually climbed higher by 65, with the 109 new patients being admitted yesterday. 776 people are currently in medical care now for Covid-19 infections in Phuket.

Hospitals have 846 remaining available beds with 323 green patients, 235 yellow patients and 31 severe red patients, and no new deaths were reported yesterday.

SOURCE: The Phuket News