The Department of Disease Control has reported a sharp drop in the number of Covid-19 patients being hospitalised or dying in the third week of January. Nation Thailand reports that between January 15 and 21, there were 627 people – an average of 90 a day – admitted to hospital with severe Covid-19 symptoms.
Between January 8 and 14, the figure was 969, or an average of 138 a day. In 2023 so far, a total of 2,593 people have been hospitalised due to severe Covid symptoms. In the third week of January, there were 44 Covid-related deaths, an average of 6 a day. This is a drop on the 65 deaths – or about 9 a day – reported in the second week.
A total of 167 Covid-related fatalities have been reported since the start of the year. Health officials say 277 Covid patients are currently receiving treatment for lung infections, with 178 on ventilators.
Between January 8 and 21, 8 overseas arrivals tested positive for the virus. Of those, one was admitted to hospital, while the other 7 only had mild symptoms or were asymptomatic. 3 of those infected had arrived from China and the remainder were from Myanmar, Cambodia, Japan, the UK and South Korea.
The DDC says the dominant strain circulating in Thailand is the Omicron BA.2.75 sub-variant, which accounts for 86% of cases. DDC director-general Thares Krainairawiwong says the remainder are variants from overseas.
“People are advised to continue protecting their health against Covid-19 by wearing face masks in public, washing their hands regularly, and taking an ATK test immediately if they have symptoms of fever, coughing, runny nose, or lose their sense of smell or taste.”
Officials recently urged workers in the tourism sector to ensure they received a booster dose of a Covid-19 vaccine in order to remain protected from severe illness in the event of infection.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
