Thailand Ministry of Health reports 17,775 new COVID-19 cases and an additional 128 deaths since yesterday. The ministry also announced an additional 24,545 patients recovered from the COVID-19 virus.
The Ministry of Public Health has been ordered to prepare for a COVID surge upon people’s return to work. The long Songkran Holidays have prompted many to back home to their provinces and are set to return today. Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha have given the order to the ministry.
Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said that the PM instructed them to prepare their response. There will be clusters of COVID cases when people come back to the capital. The PM instructed various health bodies to be prepared to respond.
The National Health Security Office (NHSO) increased its manpower to prepare for the surge in cases. They also advised everyone to observe their symptoms for the next few days. People are asked to look out for fever, cough, or runny nose, he said.
It is also recommended that people could conduct regular antigen tests to see if they are positive or not. Also, they want to ensure that patients keep a record of their travel history to make it easier to trace.
The government is confident that there are enough medical supplies as well as hospital beds for the patients. The PM also wants the Ministry of Public Health to inform the public about the “long COVID”
“Long Covid is real. Don’t be fooled by the illusion that Covid-19 is more or less like the common flu, takes a little time to recover from, and will soon become an endemic disease,” said Dr. Thira Woratanarat, an associate professor at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine.