Thailand News - Corona - By Ola J.

söndag 13 mars 2022

Screen visitors from HK, Britain to stop Omicron BA2.2 reaching Thailand. Top Health Official Warns. Arrivals from Britain and Hong Kong must be screened for the Omicron BA.2.2 subvariant, warned Public Health Commission vice chair Dr Chalermchai Boonyaleephan.

In his Blockdit post on Saturday, Chalermchai said Omicron BA.2.2 is severely impacting Hong Kong where weekly average Covid-19 infections have soared to 5,425 per million people, compared to 315 per million in Thailand.

"Meanwhile Hong Kong's seven-day death rate from Covid-19 is 30 per million people, compared to 0.85 in Thailand," he said.

"Apart from Omicron BA.2.2, the rise in Hong Kong's Covid-19 cases may be due to the low number of vaccinated people as well."

Chalermchai also confirmed that Omicron BA.2.2 has not yet been discovered in Thailand.

He emphasised that Omicron, which is the dominant strain in Thailand, is spreading four times faster than Delta and has mutated into three subvariants: BA.1, BA.2 and BA.3.

He said BA.1 and BA.2 have been discovered in Thailand while the number of patients infected with BA.2 is likely to increase rapidly.

Virus mutations commonly occur in areas where a lot of Covid-19 infections are found, he added.

Published : March 13, 2022

By : THE NATION

The country registered 23,584 more Covid-19 cases and 66 new fatalities during the previous 24 hours, the Public Health Ministry announced on Sunday morning. Bangkok Post

23,584 new Covid cases, 66 more deaths

A couple sit outside the National Blood Centre of the Thai Red Cross Society after donating blood. They and other blood donors were given a bag of rice and a kilogramme of fresh ginger each by the centre as a show of appreciation. A sharp rise in Covid-19 cases has kept many people from giving blood, causing the stockpile to fall. (Photo: Apichart Jinakul)

The country registered 23,584 more Covid-19 cases and 66 new fatalities during the previous 24 hours, the Public Health Ministry announced on Sunday morning.

This compared with the 68 coronavirus-related fatalities and 24,592 new cases reported on Saturday morning.

There were 23,517 local cases and 67 imported cases.

On Saturday, 22,333 Covid-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovering from the coronavirus.

Since the pandemic started in early 2020, there have been 3,184,825 Covid-19 cases, including 961,390 cases this year.

The accumulated death toll stood at 23,709 since the beginning of the pandemic.

The highest number of Covid-related fatalities in a 24-hour period was 312 recorded on Aug 13. The highest number of cases was 25,615 on Feb 26.

lördag 12 mars 2022

Ministry warns Omicron symptoms overlap that of dengue fever. THE Public Health Ministry warned that some Omicron symptoms not only overlap flu but also dengue fever with those who get negative result via ATK but do not improve in 48 hours urged to undergo further tests, Amarin TV said today (Mar. 12). Thai Newsroom

Ministry warns Omicron symptoms overlap that of dengue fever

March 12, 2022 TNR Staff

THE Public Health Ministry warned that some Omicron symptoms not only overlap flu but also dengue fever with those who get negative result via ATK but do not improve in 48 hours urged to undergo further tests, Amarin TV said today (Mar. 12)

Dr. Somsak Ankasil, head of the Medical Services Department, said upto 50 percent of Omicron patients are asymptomatic. Of those who do get symptoms for 50 percent it is cough and sore throat, for 30-40 percent it is fatigue and fever and 10 percent diarrhoea.

He warned that fatigue and fever could also mean the onset of dengue fever.

Those infected were urged to self-isolate because even without severe symptoms they could spread the infection to others with lower immunity levels.

All hospitals, both public and private, will accommodate Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients (UCEP) Plus patients at the higher yellow and red levels.

The concern is the green group of patients, showing few or no symptoms, because both National Health Security Office and Social Security Office have still to clarify whether they could go to any hospital in the network should their condition worsen.

The ministry said this morning that there were 24,592 Covid cases and 68 deaths over the past 24 hours with this taking the cumulative confirmed total since the start of the pandemic to 3,161,241.

In addition there were 20,385 people who tested positive by ATK and are awaiting confirmation of infection with this total not added to the daily count.

Another 21,371 patients were cured taking total recoveries since the start of the pandemic to 2,911,447 while 226,151 are still undergoing treatment.

Today's 68 fatalities raised the death toll to 23,643.

Diesel capped at Bt30 till May; govt beefs up oil reserves. The diesel price will be capped at Bt30 per litre until the end of May while households using less than 300 units (Bt1,200) per month will continue to get help with electricity bills, according to the government. The Nation

The diesel price will be capped at Bt30 per litre until the end of May while households using less than 300 units (Bt1,200) per month will continue to get help with electricity bills, according to the government.

Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow confirmed on Friday that the diesel cap would remain despite soaring world energy prices since war broke out between Ukraine and Russia last month.

He said the oil fund could subsidise the Bt30 cap until the end of May if the price of crude oil does not exceed US$115 per barrel on average. Brent crude soared above $139 per barrel last Monday but had fallen below $113 as of Saturday (March 12).

The oil fund has taken a loan of Bt40 billion to extend the diesel subsidy until May-end. However, the National Energy Policy Committee lifted the oil fund's loan limit on Wednesday amid pressure from soaring oil prices.

The government announced it will also raise Thailand's crude oil reserve from 4 to 5 per cent and finished oil reserve from 1 to 2 per cent. Meanwhile it ordered Thai oil companies to extend the stockpiling of reserves from 60 to 70 days.

The Energy and Commerce ministries are also considering capping the price of B100 formula biodiesel and discussing measures to cut costs of benzene for 13.5 million welfare card holders.

The measures will focus on Thailand's 21 million motorcycle users.

Supattanapong said the price of a 15-kilo cylinder of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) will rise from to Bt333 from April 1. The price is currently fixed at Bt318.

The government would retain the Bt45 discount on cooking gas for welfare card holders and may even increase it to Bt100 from April, he added.

Meanwhile the electricity tariff of 16 satang per unit will rise from May, though the government maintain the subsidy for households that use less than 300 units or Bt1,200 per month.

Diesel capped at Bt30 till May; govt beefs up oil reserves