Thailand Ministry of Health reports 26,081 new COVID-19 cases and an additional 91 deaths since yesterday. The ministry also announced an additional 26,011 patients recovered from the COVID-19 virus.
Patients suffering from lung inflammation that would require the use of ventilators may spike after Songkran. The Department of Disease Control (DDC) warned of the possible consequences of not following the measures in place during the festival.
The Director of the DDC’s Risk Communication and Health Behavioral Development Bureau, Dr. Sumanee Wacharasint provided the details. Currently, 781 patients are on ventilators out of 1,862 experiencing lung inflammation.
During the press briefing, she said the number “continues its rising trend and is expected to increase further after Songkran.”
Based on the graphics provided, the cases are expected to peak during the first week of May. The estimate shows that 1,600 patients could end up using ventilators. This is if the universal COVID prevention measures are not followed.
For the past 7 days, the daily deaths have surpassed 80 a day. Many of the fatalities had underlying health issues and the elderly. About half of the fatalities have not received any vaccination.
“Vaccine immunity wears off after around three months. Therefore, it is necessary, particularly for the elderly and at-risk groups, to get boosters to prevent the worst effects of the virus,” Dr. Sumanee said.
People who plan to return to their home provinces during the festival have been urged to monitor and observe their health conditions in advance, including taking self-antigen tests.
Jakkarat Pittayawong-anont, director of the DDC’s epidemiology division, said that more Covid-19 infections and deaths have been detected among young children recently — including 27 deaths among children aged under five in the latest wave caused by the Omicron variant.