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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000470

Virus expert concerned about South African strain sneaking in from Malaysia

A senior virologist at Chulalongkorn University has expressed concern about the pandemic situation in Malaysia due to the spread of the South African strain of the virus, or B.1.351.

The Indian variant was found in foreign travellers during quarantine, said Yong Poovorawan, head of the Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology at the university’s Faculty of Medicine.

The Indian strains are separated into groups B.1.167.1, B.1.167.2, B.1.167.3 and two Bengal strains. However, this was not a concern at all because everyone entering was strictly quarantined, he said.

What is extremely worrisome now is the outbreak of Covid-19 in Malaysia which has seen five outbreaks of these five strains. Based on publicly available database of 74 species in Malaysia, it was found that the South African species made up 31 per cent, or about 1 in 3 in the outbreak in Malaysia.

Therefore, there is a strong possibility of this species entering the South of Thailand. The severe outbreak now can cross natural borders into Thailand, Dr Yong said.

The South African species is a strain that would weaken the effectiveness of the vaccine, he said. This strain should not be allowed to spread in Thailand, the expert warned.

Published : May 02, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000467

Nearly 400,000 people register for vaccine as MohPromt recovers from breakdowns

The Ministry of Public Health, said on Saturday evening that the MorPrompt vaccination registration system was now working normally and 430,588 people had registered for inoculation against Covid-19.

329,717 had registered through Line application and 100,871 through the MorPrompt application.

MohPromt (Doctor ready) has been dubbed sarcastically as “Moh Mai Promt” (Doctor is not ready) because many users could not be verified or register due to breakdowns.

Dr Pongsadhorn Pokpermdee, senior officer at the ministry, said that successful registration depends on three elements: MorPrompt on Line and its application, white list or list of hospitals offering vaccination, and daily vaccination slot at the hospital.

On Saturday morning, registration in Bangkok was delayed as only 24 hospitals had opened the system. However, now 134 out of 160 are open, but field hospitals have not opened yet as the elderly and those with chronic diseases will be vaccinated on priority.

The ministry was informed that the system in every hospital had been opened, Pongsadhorn said, adding small hospitals accepted reservations for 360 people per day.

Large hospitals accepted 600 people per day. He said that calculated from the time of injection at one minute per person, 16 million people could get 16 million doses within 54 days.

About one million patients may have been dropped from the list, hence some people do not find their names when registering, the official said.

The ministry has solved the problem by opening a MorPrompt Line OA version 2.1 so that people who do not appear on the list can manually fill in the form or notify the hospital with a history of treatment, he added.

Vaccination target groups were divided into five groups totalling 50 million people: 1.2 million health personnel; 1.8 million health-related personnel who work in risk areas; 4.3 million patients in seven groups of chronic diseases under 60 years of age, such as chronic respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, stroke, obesity, cancer and diabetes; 11.7 million elderly people aged 60 years and above, and the remaining 31 million general people.

AstraZeneca vaccine will be provided in June-July to 16 million people. A poll by the Ministry of Public Health found that only 60-70 per cent of those people need the vaccine. This means there would definitely be enough vaccine and there was no need to hurry to register, the official said.

Registration opened on May 1 and vaccinations start from June 7.

Registration is open to the general public from July 1, and vaccination for those groups begin on August 1, with 10 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine per month from Siam Bioscience. Other vaccines will be introduced gradually, the ministry official said.

Published : May 02, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000465

CAAT issues more stringent measures after cases of infections in Phuket flights

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has tightened preventive measures and issued new guidelines for passengers and airlines.

The move comes after Phuket’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration informed that three airlines, which flew seven flights after resuming operations to Phuket since April 15, had infected passengers onboard. The centre told the airlines to inform other passengers to quarantine and take a test.

The new measures which come into effect from May 1 are:

1. Seek cooperation from airlines to consider limiting services between 11pm and 4am in order to reduce the impact on passengers travelling between the airport and their accommodation and to comply with other types of public transport.

2. In case of flight change, flight cancellation and flight consolidation, airlines need to inform and take care of passengers appropriately, as per the Ministry of Transport’s laws.

3. The airport will conduct rigorous screening of people who use the service. Passengers must wear a medical mask or cloth mask. Body temperature must be measured with an infrared thermometer that does not have to come into contact with the body of the person being checked. If anyone does not wear a mask or cloth mask or has temperature higher than 37.3 degrees Celsius, they will be strictly prohibited from entering the airport area.

4. The passenger’s body temperature is measured using an infrared thermometer before boarding the aircraft at the departure point and passengers will be tested again before leaving the airport area. If the temperature is higher than 37.3 degrees Celsius or they have respiratory symptoms, such as cough, sore throat, runny nose, or shortness of breath, airport officials will immediately notify local health officials.

5. Airlines must consider appropriate arrangement of seats in the aircraft for the number of passengers in each flight, taking into account the spacing measures to avoid congestion.

6. Airport authorities and airlines must alert passengers of any possible risk. Confirmed patients or high-risk persons must refrain from travelling. If they violate the rule, they may be punished under the Communicable Diseases Act 2015.

Published : May 02, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000466

Air Force delivers oxygen concentrators to India, brings infected Thai embassy staff home

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) carried 30 oxygen concentrators in an Airbus to New Delhi, the Facebook page of the Embassy of India in Bangkok said on Saturday.

The embassy thanked the Thai government and other donors for their assistance.

Apart from the delivery of oxygen concentrators, the Airbus will also pick up four Royal Thai Embassy officials in New Delhi — three are Covid-19 patients and and one has a high risk of infection — and bring them to Thailand for treatment.

Photo Credit: Embassy of India in Bangkok

Photo Credit: Embassy of India in Bangkok

According to the RTAF plan, the three patients will be treated at Ramathibodi Chakri Naruebodindra Hospital, Lerdsin Hospital and Prasat Neurological Institute, while the official with high risk of infection will be quarantined at Bangkok Palace Hotel.

Meanwhile, the Airbus crew and medical team will undergo self-quarantine to contain the spread of Covid-19 in line with the Public Health Ministry’s standards.

Photo Credit: Embassy of India in Bangkok

According to The Washington Post report, India reported more than 400,000 new cases on Saturday, a global record. Experts believe that the number will climb even higher in the coming days, an unimaginable burden for a health system already under siege with hospitals issuing pleas for oxygen.

Anthony Fauci, the Biden administration’s chief medical adviser, urged India to explore ways its military could help alleviate the calamity, saying the situation is “like a war”, in an interview with the Indian Express newspaper.

He also strongly advised India to implement a nationwide shutdown. “No one likes to lock down the country,” he said. But a temporary lockdown “could have a significant impact on the dynamics of the outbreak”.

Published : May 02, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000454

Sriracha Tiger Zoo owner denies permanent closure, unveils new plans

The owner of Sriracha Tiger Zoo on Sunday disowned a post on its Facebook page that the zoo had shut down permanently.

Sriracha Crocodile Farm managing director Sumeth Panyasakhon, who took over the Sriracha Tiger Zoo in Chonburi province 10 years ago, said on Saturday that the zoo had been closed for 14 days to comply with the Chonburi Communicable Disease Control Committee’s measures to contain the spread of Covid-19.

He said the Facebook post by the zoo’s managing director on permanent closure was not true, adding he would continue operating the zoo even if the zoo’s executives do not want to.

On Friday the zoo’s managing director, Wasan Temsiriphong, had posted on its Facebook page that the zoo had closed permanently from Friday after 24 years of operation. He said in the post that the management would hold a meeting with staff on Monday to discuss the reasons for going out of business.

Sumeth, however, unveiled new plans to make the zoo viable.

“We have an idea to renovate the zoo to make it a one-stop tourist attraction, which would include a community mall, restaurants and coffee shops in a bid to attract Thai tourists,” he said.

He added that Covid-19 had caused international sales of crocodile products to slump by over 50 per cent, but domestic sales enabled the company to pay salaries to its employees.

He added that the company was offering 70 per cent discount on its products, such as crocodile leather bags, meat and food supplements, to stimulate domestic sales as well.

“After the zoo’s Facebook post went viral, we informed the zoo’s executives to delete the message,” he said.

“We will take good care of the animals and employees until the zoo is able to reopen.”

Located in Nong Kham subdistrict, Sriracha Tiger Zoo opened its doors on April 23, 1997. The 250-rai tiger zoo became famous as the largest facility in the world that bred and raised Bengal tigers. The zoo also features talent shows of many animals besides tigers, such as crocodiles, elephants and pigs. There are also exhibition zones for camels, spotted deer, rabbits and more.

Published : May 02, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000453

Nearly 2,000 new Covid-19 cases and 21 deaths reported

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration on Saturday reported 1,940 new cases and a record 21 deaths over a 24-hour period.

Eight deaths were in Bangkok, four in Chiang Mai, two each in Chonburi and Lamphun and one each in Nakhon Pathom, Tak, Rayong, Nakhon Sawan, and Udon Thani provinces.

The ages of those who succumbed to the virus ranged from 39 to 90. All of them reportedly suffered from chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and other complications. The source of infection was mostly in the family and through contact with a patient.

Bangkok again led the list of most cases with 539, followed by 278 in Nonthaburi and 145 in Samut Prakan.

Of the 10 overseas travellers found positive in quarantine, seven were Thais who had returned from South Korea, Norway, South Africa, Sudan and Egypt. A German, an Indian, and a Pakistani coming from their respective countries also tested positive.

Meanwhile, 1,183 patients have recovered and been discharged in the last 24 hours.

As of Sunday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 68,984. Of these, 65,659 had been contracted locally, including 22,314 who were found via proactive testing, while 3,325 were returnees.

So far, 39,481 have recovered and been discharged, 29,481 patients are still in hospitals, and 245 have died.

According to Worldometer, as of 11am on Sunday, the number of confirmed cases globally had risen to 152.82 million (up by 795,819), 130 million of whom have recovered, 19.52 million are active cases (111,896 in severe condition) and 3.21 million have died (up by 12,882).

Thailand ranks 102nd on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 33.15 million, followed by India 19.56 million, Brazil 14.72 million, France 5.64 million, and Turkey 4.85 million.

Meanwhile, another 2,632 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, while 4,855 people were given their second shot, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in Thailand to 1,484,565.

Published : May 02, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000452

Isolated thundershowers forecast for Bangkok and most parts of the country

A weak high-pressure system covers the North and Northeast, while the southerly and the southeasterly winds blow across upper Thailand.

Thundershowers are likely in upper Thailand with isolated gusty winds in the Northeast and the North, the Thailand Meteorological Department said on Sunday.

The department advised people to beware of the severe conditions and warned farmers of damage to crops.

The easterly and the southeasterly winds prevail across the Gulf of Thailand, the South and the Andaman Sea with scattered thundershowers and isolated heavy rain, the department added.

The weather forecast for 24 hours:

Bangkok and its vicinity: Isolated thundershowers; minimum temperature 25-26°C; maximum 32-35°C; southeasterly winds 10-25 km/hr.

North: Scattered thundershowers with gusty winds, mostly in Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Lamphun, Lampang, Phrae, Nan, Uttaradit, Tak, Sukhothai, Phitsanulok and Phetchabun provinces; minimum temperature 22-25 degrees Celsius, maximum 33-37°C; southwesterly winds at 10-25 km/hr.

Northeast: Scattered thundershowers with gusty winds, mostly in Udon Thani, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Kalasin, Mukdahan, Khon Kaen, Chaiyaphum, Maha Sarakham, Roi Et, Buri Ram, Yasothon, Amnat Charoen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Surin, Si Sa Ket and Ubon Ratchathani provinces; minimum temperature 23-25°C, maximum 33-35°C; southeasterly winds 10-20 km/hr.

Central: Isolated thundershowers mostly in Lopburi, Saraburi, Uthai Thani, Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi provinces; minimum temperature 23-26°C, maximum 34-36°C; southeasterly winds 10-20 km/hr.

East: Scattered thundershowers, mostly in Nakhon Nayok, Prachin Buri, Sa Kaew, Chachoengsao, Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat provinces; minimum temperature 24-25°C, maximum 32-36°C; southeasterly winds 10-30 km/hr; waves under a metre high and 1-2 metres in thundershowers.

South (east coast): Scattered thundershowers mostly in Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat provinces; minimum temperature 24-25°C, maximum 32-34°C; southeasterly winds 15-30 km/hr; waves about a metre high and 1-2 metres in thundershowers.

South (west coast): Scattered thundershowers and isolated heavy rains in Phang Nga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun provinces; minimum temperature 23-26°C, maximum 32-34°C; easterly winds 15-30 km/hr; waves about a metre high and 1-2 metres in thundershowers.

Published : May 02, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000445

Surat Thani bans its staff from leaving the province

Authorities in Surat Thani have banned all provincial staff and those of state enterprises from leaving the province without urgent reasons, in a bid to control the Covid-19 crisis in the area.

The order was issued on Friday, signed by Governor Wichawut Jinto.

Also, the authority has closed Ko Raet island from Friday, after a resident of this island tested positive for Covid-19.

Published : May 01, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000444

40 per cent of labourers in Bangkok earning less than their expenses: poll

A Bangkok Poll revealed that the income of 40.2 per cent of labourers in Bangkok and its vicinity was lower than their expenses amid the Covid-19 crisis. Bangkok Universitys research centre said that the poll had 625 respondents.

Of the people polled, 81.8 per cent had been affected by Covid-19; 52.2 per cent had lower income, 23.3 per cent worked harder, and 22 per cent received no overtime payment or bonus.

Some 44.7 per cent said they had no savings, as their income and expenses were equal.

Meanwhile, 40.2 per cent had income lower than their expense, and the rest 15.1 per cent earned enough to be able to save.

Asked what the solution was to their problem, 54.3 per cent of respondents said they were waiting for government assistance, 30.7 per cent were borrowing, 27.8 per cent wanted to find a part-time job and 20.7 per cent were spending from their savings.

Published : May 01, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000443

Sriracha Tiger Zoo shuts its doors permanently

Sriracha Tiger Zoo in Chonburi province posted on its Facebook page that it was closing down permanently from Friday, 24 years since it opened.

The management will hold a meeting with employees next Monday to explain the reasons for going out of business as well as discuss other issues, said Wasan Temsiriphong, the zoo’s managing director.

Wasan added that the main reason behind the zoo’s closing was the current economic situation and the third wave of Covid-19 that had affected the zoo’s revenue.

Located in Nong Kham subdistrict, it opened its doors on April 23, 1997. The 250-rai tiger zoo became famous as the largest facility in the world that bred and raised Bengal tigers. The zoo also featured talent shows of many animals besides tigers, such as crocodiles, elephants and pigs. There were also exhibition zones for camels, spotted deer, rabbits and more.

Published : May 01, 2021

By : THE NATION