Department of Disease Control
- Covid-19 News
Thai health officials call for PCR on arrival to be replaced with antigen test
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control wants to see PCR tests for foreign arrivals replaced with antigen testing. DDC boss Dr Opas Kankawinpong says his department is submitting the proposal to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. “The department will have a meeting on Thursday to finalise the details of the proposal before presenting it to a CCSA meeting on Friday…
- Covid-19 News
Half the population has gained herd immunity, government target is 80%
The Department of Disease Control says around 50% of the Thai population has attained herd immunity against Covid-19, but the government’s target is 80%. According to Dr Chakkarat Pitayowonganon, around 10% of the population has contracted the virus to date. This figure, combined with the numbers who’ve received 2 doses of a Covid vaccine, followed by a booster, means around…
- Thailand News
Don’t forget about dengue while worrying about Covid – Thai health officials
Thai health officials have issued a warning about a seasonal outbreak of dengue fever that may be more severe than normal. The Department of Disease Control says that while the focus is on preventing the spread of Covid-19, the risk of contracting dengue tends to be forgotten about. However, so far this year, there have been 3 early deaths from…
- Covid-19 News
Thai health officials predict daily case count of 40,000 – 50,000 by mid-April
The Department of Disease Control says Thailand’s daily new Covid cases could reach between 40,000 and 50,000 by the middle of next month. Health officials warn that infections could even rise to 100,000 if current restrictions are eased. According to a Thai PBS World report, officials have called for strict adherence to Level 4 restrictions, particularly in restaurants, bars, and…
- Covid-19 News
Health ministry to propose easing Covid restrictions, in line with other countries
Thailand’s health officials plan to propose the easing of some Covid-19 restrictions in a bid to move away from imposing lockdowns when outbreaks are reported. Opas Karnkawinpong from the Department of Disease Control says other countries are relaxing some curbs and Thailand is ready to follow suit. However, according to a Bangkok Post report, he did not specify what restrictions…
- Covid-19 News
COVID-19 SUNDAY: 12 deaths, over 2.4 million total infections
Today, the CCSA reported 8,444 new Covid-19 infections, down 174 since yesterday, and 12 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 7 from yesterday. Since April 1, 2021, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, today the country surpassed 2.4 million infections with a total of 2,403,661 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. 22,157 total deaths have been recorded from the pandemic.…
- Covid-19 News
COVID-19 SATURDAY: 19 deaths, over 200,000 infections in 2022
Today, the CCSA reported 8,618 new Covid-19 infections, up 168 since yesterday, and 19 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 9 from yesterday. Since April 1, 2021, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,395,217 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported, with 22,145 total deaths from the pandemic. Since the beginning of 2022, there have been 200,655 new…
- Covid-19 News
COVID-19 SUNDAY: 7,686 infections, 13 deaths,
Today, the CCSA reported 7,686 new Covid-19 infections, down 426 since yesterday, and 13 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 6 from yesterday. Since April 1, 2021, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,348,627 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported, with 22,032 total deaths from the pandemic. In the 24 hour period since the last count,…
- Covid-19 News
COVID-19 SUNDAY: Record low deaths, 8,077 infections
Today, Covid-19 deaths fell to single digits for the first time since at least the beginning of April of last year, hospitalisations have increased, but severe cases in the ICU have fallen. The CCSA reported 8,077 new Covid-19 infections (though the provincial reports say only 7795), up 284 since yesterday, and 9 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 9 from yesterday. Since April…
- Covid-19 News
COVID-19 SATURDAY: Hospitalisations double in a week, 10 million boosters
Today, the CCSA reported 7,793 new Covid-19 infections, down 365 since yesterday, and 18 Coronavirus-related deaths, up 3 from yesterday. Since April 1, 2021, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,287,535 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported, with 21,916 total deaths from the pandemic. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the…
- Covid-19 News
COVID-19 SUNDAY UPDATE: 8,511 infections, 12 deaths
As Covid-19 infections continue to surge upward, the CCSA reported 8,511 new Covid-19 infections today, up 248 since yesterday, and 12 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 2 from yesterday. Since April 1, 2021, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,240,677 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported, with 21,825 total deaths from the pandemic. In the 24…
- Thailand News
Experts say Omicron variant infections widely underreported
While the Omicron variant is now estimated to account for about 30% of all new Covid-19 infections in Thailand, experts believe that the actual number of cases of the strain is massively underreported. Dr Yong Poovorawan, the chief of the Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology at the Faculty of Medicine of Chulalongkorn University, says that the more intensive testing…
- Covid-19 News
COVID-19 SATURDAY UPDATE: Infections spike, deaths stable
Covid-19 infections have taken a sharp rise from 3,000 at the start of the year to over 8,000 infections recorded yesterday, with imported cases doubling, though deaths have been fairly stable and low. Today, the CCSA reported 8,263 new infections, up 737 since yesterday, and 14 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 5 from yesterday. Since April 1, 2021, in the latest wave…
- Covid-19 News
Anutin: rise in Covid-19 infections is from careless New Year’s
Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul says that the surge in new Covid-19 infections is to be expected after the New Year’s holiday, but the fact that the number of daily deaths has not risen significantly is it good sign following current scientific data that reveals that the Omicron variant is more transmissible but less severe than the currently dominant…
- Covid-19 News
Hua Lamphong and Mor Chit offer free Covid-19 testing today
Free Covid-19 testing is being offered today in Bangkok at Hua Lamphong railway station and Mor Chit bus terminal. The free testing programme was launched to try to identify Covid-19 infections and curb spread as people return to Bangkok after travelling on holiday or to family over the New Year’s weekend. Department of Disease Control Director-General Control Dr Opas Karnkawinpong…
- Thailand News
Superspreader Omicron cluster may lead to 30,000 daily Covid infections
Thailand will likely see a surge in Covid-19 infections in the coming weeks as health authorities have classified the Omicron variant cluster in Kalasin as a superspreader event. The outbreak was identified on Christmas Eve in the Northeastern province and proliferated out to hundreds of infections sprawling throughout 11 provinces. The cluster was traced to a couple returning from Belgium…
- Covid-19 News
NCDC recommends Pfizer for kids 5-11, 4th vaccine for some
Giving the Pfizer vaccine has been recommended by the National Communicable Disease Committee for children aged 5 to 11 to protect against Covid-19 infections. In the face of the spreading Omicron variant, the NCDC also recommended a fourth booster vaccine for frontline workers, healthcare professionals, and people with certain medical needs. The Pfizer vaccine has been shown to be effective…
- Covid-19 News
COVID-19 SATURDAY UPDATE: 30 deaths, 2,766 infections
Today, the CCSA reported 2,766 new Covid-19 infections, up 95 since yesterday, and 30 Coronavirus-related deaths, up 3 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,178,565 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 3,805 recoveries, up 1,039 from…
- Covid-19 News
Thai Omicron cases surpass 100, world tightens restrictions
The Omicron variant of Covid-19 has now been detected in 95 countries and Thailand has not escaped unscathed. 104 Omicron variant infections have now been uncovered in Thailand according to the CCSA with the first local transmission recently discovered. Most of the cases of the new variant are currently receiving treatment though some have recovered already, according to the Department…
- Thailand News
Long-distance bus passengers travelling for New Year’s asked to take an ATK test
Travelling by bus during the New Year holiday? You might need to take an ATK test for long-distance trips. The state-run Transport Company is in discussions with both the Public Health Ministry and the Transport Ministry about Covid-19 prevention measures during the end-of-year holiday, according to the director-general of the Department of Disease Control Opas Karnkawinpong. Opas says that passengers…
- Covid-19 News
COVID-19 SUNDAY: Positive numbers all around, lowest deaths since third wave
Today was a great day for Covid-19 news as the numbers have improved from yesterday for every single metric except for infections brought in from abroad which jumped from 16 yesterday to 24 today. Daily infections and deaths are down, with deaths hitting the lowest number since the third wave of Covid-19 began in April. The total number of hospitalisations…
- Covid-19 News
COVID-19 SATURDAY: 4,079 infections, 39 deaths, provincial totals
Today, the CCSA reported 4,079 new Covid-19 infections, down 114 since yesterday, and 39 Coronavirus-related deaths, up 11 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,135,986 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 7,302 recoveries, up 561…
- Thailand News
PR Thailand reminds of the “VUCA” plan to keep reopening safe
The public relations department posted a reminder on their Facebook page today of the 4 main measures the government is focusing on after reopening Thailand to international tourism at the beginning of last month. The post on the PR Thai Government Facebook page reiterates the criteria they laid out in November using the acronym VUCA to keep the reopening safe…
- Covid-19 News
COVID-19 SUNDAY: 4,704 infections, 27 deaths, provincial totals
Today, the CCSA reported 4,704 new Covid-19 infections, down 1,192 since yesterday, and 27 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 10 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,112,368 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 6,149 recoveries, up 483 from…
- Covid-19 News
COVID-19 SATURDAY: 6,073 infections, 32 deaths, provincial data
Today, the CCSA reported 6,073 new Covid-19 infections, down 486 since yesterday, and 32 Coronavirus-related deaths, half as many as yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,072,086 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 6,538 recoveries, up 337…
- Tourism News
Thailand entry may be simplified by switching to antigen test
At the CCSA meeting on Friday, the Ministry of Public Health will propose easing entry requirements by replacing RT-PCR tests with a much cheaper and faster antigen test. Health authorities report that Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul will propose the revision at Friday’s meeting to be enacted from December on. The simplifying of the required Covid-19 test is part…
- Covid-19 News
Over 4,000 healthcare workers in Thailand infected during Covid-19 pandemic
The Department of Disease Control says up to 4,270 Thai healthcare workers have contracted Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic in February 2020. According to a Thai PBS World report, 198 are doctors and 34 are medical students. Dr. Sumanee Wacharasint from the DDC says the remainder are nurses, assistant nurses, public health academics, health volunteers, housekeepers, laboratory technicians,…
- Covid-19 News
DDC focuses on low vaccination provinces, finds people missing
As the Department of Disease Control focuses its strategy on getting everyone vaccinated and planning booster shots for next year, one problem has emerged for vaccinating people in provinces with low vaccination rates: they’re not there. As officials try to incentivise people to get vaccines, they are finding that in some provinces, unvaccinated people simple don’t actually live at their…
- Covid-19 News
COVID-19 Sunday Update: Record low deaths, prison outbreak
Today, the CCSA reported 7,006 new Covid-19 infections, up 411 since yesterday, and a record low 29 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 24 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,035,708 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 7,591 recoveries,…
- Thailand News
COVID-19 SATURDAY UPDATE: 53 deaths, vaccinations, provincial totals
Today, the CCSA reported 6,595 new Covid-19 infections, down 260 since yesterday, and 53 Coronavirus-related deaths, up 2 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 2,028,702 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 8,478 recoveries, up 823 from…
