Thailand’s Bamrasnaradura Institute of Infectious Diseases, which has been at the forefront of treating people suspected of contracting COVID-19, and was accepting up to 800 cases a day during the peak of the pandemic, now has only one in-patient still under treatment.

Dr. Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai, director-general of Disease Control Department, said today that, over the past four months, Bamrasnaradura has played pivotal role in treating COVID-19 patients and in introducing new techniques, through the use of the anti-viral Favipiravir and Remdesivir.

Director of the institute, Dr. Apichart Wachirapant, said that they can usually accommodate up to 300 patients but, during the peak of the pandemic, had to accommodate 800 patients, with each one requiring at least two medical personnel in attendance.

The average duration of treatment for each patient is about two weeks, said Dr. Veerawat Manosuth, the deputy director of the institute.

About 60% of the patients exhibited minor symptoms, while 20 % exhibited minor lung infections. 19 % were severe cases and 6% were extremely severe, including those with heart failure. The fatality rate at the institute was, however, just 0.5%.

It was discovered that one-third of the patients at the institute did not need medicating, while the rest required the administration of anti-viral drugs.