COVID: Thailand steps up active case detection

By Linda Khoo Hui Li

BANGKOK, May 4 -- Thailand is stepping up active case detection to curtail the rapid spread of COVID-19 amid new clusters, and rising number of new COVID-19 cases and fatalities.

Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) spokesman Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin said new clusters have been detected in Khlong Toei, Pathumwan and Dusit district in Bangkok. 

“The number of COVID-19 cases in Bangkok continue to soar and disease control efforts are now in Bangkok. 

“More active case detection exercise will be conducted to curb the spread of infections,” he said during the COVID-19 daily briefing here today.

He added that the number of COVID-19 cases reported in Bangkok were linked to entertainment outlets and inter-provincial traveling during Songkran festival in April.

Over the last 24 hours, Thailand recorded 1,763 new COVID-19 cases and another 27 deaths, bringing the total infections in the kingdom to 72,788 and 303 fatalities.

To date, a total of 30,011 patients remain hospitalised and the number of patients in critical condition increased to 1,009 with 311 patients on ventilators.

Of the new cases, Taweesin said 1,750 were local transmission cases including 562 cases in Bangkok, Samut Prakan (201) and Nonthaburi (168).

A total of 13 imported cases have been reported including four Thais aged between 12-40 years old who illegally crossed from Malaysia, he said.

The new fatalities involved 21 males and six females aged between 25 and 92 years old where most of them had underlying health conditions including high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease as well as obesity, he said. 

Meanwhile, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) opened its fifth field hospital to accommodate more COVID-19 patients.

Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang said the Chaloem Phra Kiat Stadium in Thung Khru district in Bangkok has been transformed into a 400-bed field hospital. 

The field hospital is also equipped with intensive care unit (ICU) facility. 

He said Charoenkrung Pracharak Hospital would provide doctors and medical personnel, equipment including chest x-rays machines, oximeters and comprehensive telemedicine network to ensure patients can be monitored at all times at the field hospital.

-- BERNAMA