Thailand has recorded a new daily COVID-19 death toll high of 51 today (Wednesday), as 3,174 new cases logged and new clusters emerge in Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Pathum Thani and Ratchaburi provinces, according to the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).
CCSA Spokesman Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin admitted today that more infections have been found among those under observation in hospitals and during active screenings, increasing pressure on hospitals regarding the availability of beds to accommodate severe cases.
He said that an idea of transferring the less severe cases to field hospitals had been floated, to free up badly-needed beds in regular hospitals for those with severe symptoms.
Of the 51 deaths today, 26 are men and 25 women, aged from 29 to 91. At 34, Bangkok had the highest number of fatalities in the last 24 hours. Other provinces with fatalities are Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Chon Buri, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Ratchaburi, Yala. Prachin Buri, Songkhla, Sa Kaeo and Saraburi.
Of the 3,174 new COVID-19 cases today, only 36 are prison inmates. 37,018 people are still being treated in general and field hospitals, including 433 cases who are on ventilators.
Bangkok has 210 cases, out of the 433 who need ventilators, said Dr. Taweesin, adding that the number of patients on ventilators is likely to increase.
Bangkok also has 956 new infections today, followed by 501 in Samut Prakan, 240 in Samut Sakhon, 185 in Songkhla, 142 in Chon Buri, 120 in Pattani, 93 in Pathum Thani, 91 in Ratchaburi, 89 in Narathiwat and 79 cases in Nakhon Pathom.
12 provinces did not report a single new case today.
The two new clusters found in Bangkok are at a clothing factory in Bang Kho Laem district and at a jewelry factory in Klong San district.
Other new clusters are at construction worker housing in Samut Prakan, where 167 people were found to be infected, a tyre factory in Krathum Baen district and a seafood processing plant in Muang district of Samut Sakhon and at a car spare parts plant in Pathum Thani and at a military camp in Ratchaburi province.
Cumulative infections, since April 1st, 2021, are 199,676 and the death toll is 1,650.
Thailand now ranks 76th in the world as far as total infections are concerned.
