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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002350

Frantic search for more beds in Bangkok to treat rising number of Covid-19 patients

The Department of Medical Services is concerned about the hospital bed situation in Bangkok as infections continue to rise, spurring an urgent search for more beds.

Department director-general Dr Somsak Akksilp said on Tuesday that Bangkok and the surrounding areas have seen more than 1,000 new Covid-19 infections per day for over two months, which has resulted in hospitals having inadequate beds to treat patients in red and yellow groups.

Patients in the red group are those with severe symptoms that require respirators while those in the yellow group display moderate symptoms but have underlying health problems that require close monitoring.

“Data from June 21 indicates there are 409 patients in the red group being treated at hospitals in Bangkok, with only 20 beds left for patients with severe symptoms,” Somsak revealed.

“Meanwhile, 3,937 patients in the yellow group are in Bangkok hospitals and there are only around 300 beds available for new patients in this group,” he said.

“The inadequacy of hospital beds has resulted in the department’s bed allotment system via hotline 1668 becoming extremely backed up,” Somsak said.

“The department is working with all related parties to find new beds for Covid-19 patients as soon as possible,” he added.

Published : June 23, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002344

Daily Covid-19 deaths reached a new high on Wednesday at 51, with 3,174 new infections

Of the 3,174 new patients in the past 24 hours, 36 were found in prisons, the Public Health Ministry reported on Wednesday morning.

Some 1,941 patients have recovered and been allowed to leave hospital.

Cumulative cases in the country since April 1 now stand at 199,676, with 1,744 deaths.

Daily Covid-19 deaths reached a new high on Wednesday at 51, with 3,174 new infections

Published : June 23, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002343

Strange aerial phenomenon witnessed in northern skies was likely a bright meteor: NARIT

The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) said the phenomenon of greenish-blue light coupled with an exploding sound in the sky in some northern provinces on Tuesday evening was likely a bolide, an extremely bright meteor that explodes in the atmosphere.

NARIT’s chief of astronomical academic service Suphareuk Karuhanon said on the institute’s Facebook page on Tuesday that people from Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Phayao, Mae Hong Son and Lampang have been sharing photos and videos on social media of the greenish-blue light with an exploding sound.

“The light was seen in the sky at around 6.30pm moving west to east with a loud explosive noise,” Suphareuk said. “This fits the characteristics of a bolide, an extremely bright meteor, especially one that explodes in the atmosphere,” he said.

“Normally a meteor that enters the atmosphere will experience extreme heat and catch fire at an altitude of 80-120 kilometres, which is too far for humans to hear,” he explained. “However, in some cases the meteor might cause a sonic boom similar to a supersonic airplane which will sound like an explosion to spectators.”

NARIT also said that there have been no reports of any damage caused by the phenomenon.

“It is not yet totally conclusive that the phenomenon is a bolide as most of the falling meteors burn out completely in the atmosphere,” Suphareuk said.

“Some that are big enough will make it to the earth’s surface, most of which will fall into the ocean, estimated at around 6,000 meteors per year,” he added.

“There is a very small chance that a bolide could fall to earth and cause damage, so people should not panic over the phenomenon,” he said assuringly.

Published : June 23, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002341

Isolated heavy rains forecast for East, South west coast

Outbreaks of thundershowers will hit the Central region, the East and the South, with isolated heavy rains in the East and the South’s west coast as the southwest monsoon prevails across the country, the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, the Meteorological Department said on Wednesday.

It advised all ships to proceed with caution as waves in the Andaman Sea and the upper Gulf of Thailand are 1-2 metres high and over 2 metres in areas that will experience thundershowers.

Here’s the weather forecast for the next 24 hours:

North: Thundershowers in 10 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 24-27 degrees and highs of 34-37 degrees Celsius.

Northeast: Thundershowers in 20 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 25-27 degrees and highs of 35-37 degrees Celsius.

Central: Thundershowers in 20 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 25-26 degrees, highs of 35-38 degrees Celsius.

East: Thundershowers in 40 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 24-28 degrees, highs of 29-36 degrees Celsius; waves 1-2 metres high and 2 metres during thundershowers.

South (east coast): Thundershowers in 30 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 23-26 degrees, highs of 34-35 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.

South (west coast): Thundershowers in 60 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 20-26 degrees, highs of 30-34 degrees Celsius; waves 1-2 metres high and over 2 metres during thundershowers.

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Thundershowers in 20 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 26-27 degrees, highs of 34-37 degrees Celsius.

Source: Thailand Meteorological Department

Published : June 23, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002328

Ministry cuts interval between AZ jabs to combat raging Delta infections

The second dose of AstraZeneca can be administered after eight weeks instead of 10-12 weeks in areas where Covid-19’s Delta variant is spreading fast, the Public Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

As of June 20, the Delta strain first found in India accounted for over 10 per cent of all Covid-19 infections in Thailand, according to samples analysed by the Department of Medical Sciences. Department chief Dr Supakit Sirilak said 6,000 samples had been tested since the third wave of infections began on April 1. The Alpha (UK) variant accounted for 88.97 per cent or 5,641 cases, while Delta accounted for 10.43 per cent or 661 cases. Most new Delta Covid cases were found in Bangkok.

Renowned virologist Dr Yong Poovorawan on Tuesday predicted that Delta would become the dominant strain in Thailand within four months.

Dr Supakit said that the Beta variant first detected in South Africa was still confined to the southern province of Narathiwat and accounts for just one per cent of Thai infections. Health officials are concerned that Delta is spreading fast despite only being detected in Thailand last month, long after Beta arrived.

The ministry said it has so far allocated 8.5 million doses since the nationwide vaccination drive launched on June 7.

As of June 21, a total of 7,906,696 doses had been administered – 5,678,848 first shots and 2,227,848 second shots. Of these, 5,550,891 were Sinovac and 2,355,805 were AstraZeneca.

Published : June 23, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002327

Delta will be Thailand’s dominant variant in four months: virologist

The fast-spreading Delta variant will become the dominant strain of Covid-19 in Thailand within four months, a leading virologist warned on Tuesday.

Dr Yong Poovorawan, head of the Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology at Chulalongkorn University, said cases of the Delta variant first found in India would overtake Alpha cases in four months at the current infection rate. He also warned of the likely emergence of other variants.

While the Alpha, Beta and Delta variants do not affect the severity of the disease, they do blunt the efficacy of vaccines, Yong added.

For example, the efficacy of two doses of Pfizer vaccine drops from 90 per cent to 79 per cent when faced with Delta while AstraZeneca falls from 73 to 60 per cent.

There is limited data on the efficacy of Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines against Delta, but early research at the Centre of Excellence suggests it might fall to as low as 30 per cent.

Administering a third dose of vaccine after 3-6 months has been proposed to help boost immunity.

Dr Yong said the infection rate must be reduced if Thailand is to meet the government’s deadline of reopening the country by October. Vaccination and people’s hygiene habits were key in achieving that goal, he added.

Published : June 23, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002329

Bangkok jab vans deployed to 5 infection hotspots

Mobile vaccination units have been rolled out in Bangkok in a bid to halt the wave of Covid-19 infections sweeping the capital. On Tuesday, Bangkok logged 1,154 new cases.

The units will target areas with high infection rates, including Lak Si, Khlong Toei, Pathum Wan, Dusit and Bang Khae.

A construction camp in Lak Si has spawned hundreds of cases, with hundreds more detected in the dense neighbourhoods of Khlong Toei.

The vaccination units will be deployed to administer second doses at Bang Khen School in Lak Si on June 21-23; at Wat Sunthon Thammathan in Pom Prab (Sattru Phai) district on June 25-26; at Din Daeng’s Bangkok Youth Centre (Thai-Japanese) on June 29-31; at Khlong Toei’s Port Authority of Thailand building on July 14-18; and at Wat Sunthon Thammathan again on July 21-22.

Meanwhile health officials report more than 2,000 hospitel and field hospital beds are still available for Covid-19 patients in Bangkok. However, they expect those beds to fill up quickly due to the rising daily infection rate. Officials say they are coordinating with hotels to provide more beds for virus patients.

Published : June 22, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002325

Staying safe from Covid at work

Many people are returning to work in Thailand now that the Covid-19 situation has eased in some areas.

However, this does not mean that the risk of infection is down to zero.

The Nation Thailand has compiled some advice based on the Department of Disease Control (DDC)’s guidelines
 

Staying safe from Covid at work

Published : June 22, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002323

Relics of Thai railway history retrieved from the jungle

Two 63-year-old locomotives given to Thailand by Japan as part of World War II reparations have been restored to their former glory in Nakhon Si Thammarat. 

The diesel locomotives had been left abandoned in forest near Thung Song railway station before being lovingly restored and put on display in the station’s rail yard.

Relics of Thai railway history retrieved from the jungleRelics of Thai railway history retrieved from the jungleRelics of Thai railway history retrieved from the jungle

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Published : June 22, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002322

Cabinet gives green light to reopen Phuket on July 1

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA)s proposal to reopen Phuket on July 1 and three islands in Surat Thani – Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao – on July 15.

Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said a command centre would now be established to monitor arrivals and departures of foreign tourists in Phuket.

“For Surat Thani, tourism personnel will follow guidelines to monitor foreign tourists in accommodation and on sealed routes, while government officials will screen tourists as they enter and depart the three islands,” he said.

Published : June 22, 2021

By : The Nation