🔴 #COVID19 update on Wednesday ⏫ 16,462 new cases ⏺ 27 deaths ⬆️ 138,295 in care. Richard Barrow



Omicron sub-lineage BA.2 now surging ahead in Thailand – PUBLIC Health Ministry officials said today (Feb. 15) that infection by Omicron’s sub-lineage BA.2 is now increasing in many countries and it will likely turn into the main sub-variant in Thailand in one to two months’ time, TV Channel 7 said. Thai Newsroom

Omicron sub-lineage BA.2 now surging ahead in Thailand

February 15, 2022  TNR Staff

PUBLIC Health Ministry officials said today (Feb. 15) that infection by Omicron's sub-lineage BA.2 is now increasing in many countries and it will likely turn into the main sub-variant in Thailand in one to two months' time, TV Channel 7 said.

However Dr. Supakit Sirilak, head of the Department of Medical Sciences, said while BA.2 is spreading faster the severity of infection is no different from other Omicron sub-variants and a booster jab can prevent serious illness and symptoms.

Of 2,000 random samples tested last week 97.2 percent was Omicron with the remaining 2.8 percent being Delta and other variants.

Tests of random samples collected from Nov. 1, 2021 to Feb. 11, 2022 showed 18,028 were Omicron, 11,373 Delta and 4 Beta.

Regarding Omicron Bangkok had the highest tally of 6,641 cases followed by Phuket with 1,286, Chonburi 1,240, Roi Et 670, Samut Prakan 590, Nong Khai 534, Surat Thani 511, Maha Sarakham 508, Kalasin 419 and Khon Kaen 410.

Dr. Supakit added that global reports showed approximately 600,000 people are infected with the first-generation sub-lineage BA.1, 54,000 BA. 2 and only 297 BA. 3.

In Thailand BA. 2 was first detected among travellers coming into the country early this year with second generation sub-lineage BA 1.1 also detected among them.

 BA. 1 and BA. 2 have 32 identical mutations but 28 differences with BA. 2 having now spread to 57 countries after first emerging in India, Denmark and Sweden.

Dr. Throne Upaphong, deputy director-general of the Department of Medical Sciences, said post-vaccination tests for BA.1 and BA.2 will be expedited to measure the effectiveness of vaccines against mutant strains as well as follow up on the symptoms of those infected with pneumonia and require oxygen.

The ministry earlier said that there were 14,373 Covid cases and 27 deaths over the 24 hours to this morning taking the cumulative confirmed total since Jan. 1 to  399,165. 

Of this batch of cases 14,177 were domestic while 196 foreign travellers tested positive.

Another 11,551 patients were cured taking recoveries since Jan. 1 to 298,889 with 129,933 still undergoing treatment.



Chonburi announces 548 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 and two new deaths - The Pattaya News

Chonburi announces 548 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 and two new deaths

Tuesday, 15 February 2022, 15:47

Highlights:

• 548 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Chonburi today

• 680 positive ATK tests were reported but all require a second confirmed PCR test before being counted as official cases. The ATK positive tests are just "possible" cases until confirmed by PCR.

• 544 people recovered and were released from medical care

• Two new deaths

The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 548 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 today with two new deaths, February 15th, 2022.

This makes a total of 26,071 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 6,616 people still under medical care/supervision, and with a total of 34 recorded deaths in Chonburi since the start of this recent round of infections at the beginning of this year, January 2022.

Additionally, 544 people were also released and recovered yesterday in Chonburi. 19,421 people in total have now been released from medical care and recovered in Chonburi since this current wave of Covid-19 began at the beginning of this year, January 2022.

Four people were listed as being in serious condition in Chonburi currently, either on a ventilator or pneumonia. One of them was not vaccinated. According to the Chonburi Department of Public Health, the vast majority of recent cases are mild or asymptomatic.

The two new deaths were at the age of 84 and 61 with personal health problems and pre-existing conditions. Both of them were not vaccinated.

In total, 1,959,924 people in Pattaya and Chonburi have received their first dose of a Covid -19 vaccine which is 84.15 percent of the total Chonburi population. Of those, 302,931 have received their first dose and are what the Thai government calls 608 groups (elders, have chronic health problems, and pregnant) which is 81.89 percent of those in these risk groups in Chonburi.

707,923 people have received a triple dose of a Covid-19 vaccine which is 30.40 percent of the total Chonburi population. Of those, 121,693 are 608 groups which are 32.90 percent of those in these risk groups in Chonburi.

The district-level new cases were as follows today:

Mueang Chonburi 117, Si Racha 134, Banglamung (Pattaya) 126, Panat Nikhom 31, Sattahip 40, Ban Bueng 13, Phan Thong 28, ฺBor Thong 2, Ko Chan 3, Nong Yai 1, and 53 people transferred from other provinces for medical care.

The details on the cases are as follows:

1. Work and stayed in Rayong, transferred from other provinces for medical care, 47 cases

2. Cluster, Aisin Takaoka Asia company in Phan Thong, 6 cases

3. Risky occupations meeting many people, 19 cases

4. 8 medical personnel

5. 9 back from other provinces from Bangkok (2), Khon Kaen (2) Chiang Mai (2), Nakhon Phanom (1), Samut Prakan (1), and Surin (1)

6. Close contacts from previously confirmed cases in families – 156 cases, in workplaces –42 cases, close personal contacts – 29 cases, and joined a party – 8 case

7. Close contacts of a confirmed patient (under investigation), 23 cases

8. 201 cases close contacts of a confirmed patient (under investigation)

My friend got Covid abroad, here's what happened when he returned to Thailand - Thai Enquirer

My friend got Covid abroad, here's what happened when he returned to Thailand

February 15, 2022

My friend recently caught Covid-19 during a business trip to Singapore. He arrived back in Thailand last week under the test and go scheme and tested negative on his first PCR test and was technically allowed to leave the hotel and wander around the city.

However, he received word that a close contact of his in Singapore had just tested positive with the Omicron variant so he decided to not return home and stay further at the quarantine hotel.

He began taking daily ATK tests which all turned out negative so he allowed himself to go shopping and wander around parts of the city.

By the fourth day after his return, he began having a sore throat and when he got his PCR test on the fifth day, he found out that he too had Covid.

So now why am I telling you this? The first reason is that the government's test and go plan is not foolproof but will likely catch Covid in its 1+5 day scheme.

Second, Omicron is so highly transmissible. According to my friend, the person he was in contact with that likely spread the virus to him was never in close proximity. They had met in a open environment and with masks the whole time.

Third, the reason that the virus keeps spreading is that there is a lack of any sort of responsibility as people continue to drop their guard against the pandemic because they think that it's over.

My friend is one of these people. When he learned that he was in contact with someone who tested positive, he should not have been careless enough to wander around outside risking service staff and the general public even if his ATK had come out negative.

The responsible thing he should have done would be to self isolate pending the result of the next PCR test.

Unless we keep our guard up against this disease, this pandemic is never going to end and we will be stuck in this quagmire forever milder variant or not.

Finally, the last point that should be made is that the vaccines work. My friend was one of those people that were skeptical of the MRNA vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna. As he has a lot of friends that are Thai doctors, he heard horror stories about how it was gene therapy and that the technology was too new to be trusted.

As a result, he ended up getting two Sinovac and one AstraZeneca booster. Even these two "lesser" vaccines have helped him fight the disease as he has only mild symptoms with slight coughing the most worrying ailment.

Our other friend, who was also on the trip to Singapore, did not have any reservations about the MRNA vaccines and got two Pfizer and one Moderna shot has no symptoms at all and is in self-isolation at home.

As reported yesterday in Thai Enquirer, the overwhelming number of people who are dying from this disease at this point are people who are unvaccinated.

(read more here)

At this point in the pandemic two things are now key, take personal responsibility for your actions to better help your community and get yourself and your loved ones jabbed.

#Omicron now accounts for 97.2% of new #Covid19 cases in #Thailand based on 1,975 samples that were collected around the country between February 5 and 11. The remaining 2.8% is Delta. Thai Enquirer



Thai baht hits five-month high, can swing sideways after crossing support level. The Nation

Thai baht hits five-month high, can swing sideways after crossing support level

The Thai baht opened at 32.44 to the US dollar on Tuesday, strengthening from Monday's close of 32.53, the highest in five months.

The Thai currency is likely to move between 32.35 and 32.55 during the day, Krungthai Bank market strategist Poon Panichpibool predicted.

He said the baht may stop strengthening and swing sideways because it has risen beyond the estimated support level far too much due to Thai stocks and bonds transactions from foreign investors and the selling of gold.

He said the US Federal Reserve is likely to hike the interest rate more than expected and the conflict between Ukraine and Russia will pressure the market into a risk-off state and push the dollar to strengthen.

Poon said these factors will stop the baht from strengthening in the short term.

He suggested speculating on foreign investors' transactions of Thai assets and the direction of gold price. He said if investors continue selling those assets, it will cause the baht to strengthen.

🇹🇭 THAI NEWS REPORTS. Richard Barrow



🇹🇭 THAI NEWS REPORTS: After a video clip of a young girl standing on the back of a motorcycle went viral, the mother was summoned by police who charged her with driving without a helmet and reckless driving that may cause harm to others. She was fined 400 baht.

In related news…..

🚘 24 hour road accident report for 14/2/2022

📌 55 deaths

📌 2,893 injuries

🏍 85% of deaths were motorcyclists

👨‍👨‍👧‍👦 1 child died

👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 2 foreigners died 

😦 1,940 deaths in 45 days or 43 deaths/day