Thai doctors are sounding the alarm over the steady rise in COVID-19 infections, as they advise the public to protect themselves from the disease as recommended by the Ministry of Public Health.
According to Dr. Tares Krassanairawiwong, director-general of the Disease Control Department, 2,632 COVID patients were admitted to hospitals between May 14th and 20th, an average of 376 cases a day and, of these, 64 have died, averaging seven deaths a day. Lung infections were recorded at 401 cases and, of these, 226 of them needed ventilators.
He said that 50% of the 64 deaths were people who were not vaccinated at all and 30% had received only two vaccine doses without a booster shot for a long time.
He attributed the steady increase in COVID infections to the arrival of the rainy season and the resumption of classes for the new semester.
Meanwhile, Associate Professor Dr. Nitipat Jiarakul, of the Faculty of Medicine at Siriraj Hospital, advised members of the public not to be too obsessed with the formation of the new government, but to focus on protecting themselves from the resurging virus.
He claimed that the number of patients waiting to be admitted for treatment has increased substantially and the death toll has jumped sharply to an average of ten a day.
Dr. Thira Woratanarat, of the Faculty of Medicine at Chulalongkorn University, said in his Facebook post today (Tuesday), that the number of patients admitted to hospitals during the week of May 14th -20th increased by 11.7%, compared to the previous 7 days, and 141.9% from four weeks ago.
The number of patients who need ventilators increased to 226 last week, or 38.6% more than the previous 7 days, whereas lung infections increased by 24.5%.
He estimated that actual daily infections could be between 18,800 and 26,112, which is the highest since the end of last year.
He suggested that members of the public not lower their guard and protect themselves by following the recommendations of the Public Health Ministry, which include wearing face masks in public places, avoiding crowds, not sharing plates and spoons, isolating if they develop flu-like symptoms and taking rapid antigen tests.
