2,671 new COVID-19 cases, including 604 among prison inmates and 83 foreign arrivals, and 23 more deaths were recorded today (Sunday), as Thailand prepares for the launch of the national mass vaccination campaign tomorrow.
According to the CCSA, 675 new cases were recorded in Bangkok, keeping the capital at the top of the list of provinces with the highest daily infection rate for the past several weeks. The other nine are:
- Phetchaburi: 196
- Nonthaburi: 163
- Samut Prakan: 124
- Songkhla: 89
- Trang: 58
- Pathum Thani: 51
- Ayutthaya: 44
- Chachoengsao: 35
- Samut Sakhon: 28
Cumulative infections, since April 1st, are 148,604 while the death toll is 1,101.
99,091 people have recovered and 49,490 are still being treated in general and field hospitals.
Of the fatalities today, 12 are men and 11 women, aged from 32 to 79. Ten of them were in Bangkok and the rest in other provinces. Most of them had underlying diseases.
Of the 83 cases among foreign arrivals, 76 came from Cambodia, including 16 who crossed into Thailand via natural border crossings.
CCSA Spokesman Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin appealed to all Thais in Cambodia to return to Thailand legally, by registering online or by directly contacting the Thai embassy or Thai consular office in Cambodia.
Those who are clear of infection will be quarantined for 14 days and those infected will be sent to hospitals for treatment, he added.
In Bangkok, he said that Thevarach, or Thewes market in Dusit district, the Phetchaburi Soi 10 community in Ratchathewi district, the Sino-Thai construction camp site in Lat Phrao district and the Ma Chim and Chalerm-anusorn communities in Wattana district are being closely monitored.
He said health officials have checked 367 construction worker housing camps in Bangkok and approved 270 of them, with the remaining 97 not meeting safety standards. The employers need to improve communication with their workers, most of whom are foreign, and improve conditions in their work places and housing facilities.
Dr. Taweesin insisted that the CCSA has never concealed facts about the COVID-19 situation, although he admitted that, sometimes, the information it receives is inaccurate.
Meanwhile, Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang said today that all 25 vaccination locations in the capital are ready to start mass vaccinations tomorrow.
He assured that everyone who has an appointment will definitely be inoculated, adding that the facilities will have the combined capacity to inoculate 38,000-50,000 people a day, which can be increased to 70,000 people per day.
The governor visited Thai PBS head office on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road today, one of the 25 vaccination facilities, to inspect its readiness.
