Thailand News - Corona - By Ola J.

lördag 30 april 2022

The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 467 new and confirmedcases of Covid-19 today with ten new deaths, on April 29th, 2022. Pattaya News

Highlights:

467 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Chonburi today
2,737 positive ATK (rapid antigen) 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. TPN notes, however, that second confirmed tests are no longer mandatory except for high-risk groups.
680 (PCR) and 4,362 (ATK) recovered and were released from medical care
Ten new deaths

The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 467 new and confirmedcases of Covid-19 today with ten new deaths, on April 29th, 2022.

This makes a total of 104,162 cases (PCR) and 292,321 cases (ATK) of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 5,397 (PCR) and 35,948 (ATK) people still under medical care/supervision, and with a total of 271 recorded deaths in Chonburi since the start of this recent round of infections at the beginning of this year, January 2022.

Additionally, 680 (PCR) and 4,362 (ATK) people were also released and recovered yesterday in Chonburi. 98,494 (PCR) and 256,373 (ATK) 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.

The ten new deaths were aged 27, 39, 42, 46, 52, 62, 70, 71, 82, and 88 with severe personal health problems and pre-existing conditions. Four of them were not vaccinated.

In total, 2,06,523 people in Pattaya and Chonburi have received their first dose of a Covid -19 vaccine which is 88.73 percent of the total Chonburi population. Of those, 308,778 have received their first dose and are what the Thai government calls 608 groups (elders, have chronic health problems, and pregnant) which is 83.47 percent of those in these risk groups in Chonburi.

997,060 people have received their triple dose which is 42.81 percent of the total Chonburi population. Of those, 179,995 are 608 groups which are 48.66 percent of those in these risk groups in Chonburi.

The district-level new cases were as follows today:

Mueang Chonburi 100, Sri Racha 139, Banglamung (Pattaya) 86, Panat Nikhom 5, Sattahip 49, Ban Bueng 10, Phan Thong 31, ฺBor Thong 13, Ko Chan 5, Nong Yai 2, and 27 people transferred from other provinces for medical care.

🔴 #COVID19 update on Saturday ⬇️ 12,888 new cases ⬇️ 126 deaths ⬇️ 151,567 active cases ⬇️ 1,773 serious cases. Richard Barrow

fredag 29 april 2022

Boosters less effective against more prevalent BA.2 subvariant: Dr Yong. The Nation

Booster shots provide 1.7 times less immunity against the Omicron BA.2 subvariant compared to the BA.1 subvariant, top virologist Dr Yong Poovorawan said on Friday.

In a Facebook post, Dr Yong said a recently conducted study shows that nearly all current Covid-19 patients in Thailand had been infected by the BA.2 subvariant. The study, "Omicron BA.1, BA.2 and Covid-19 booster vaccination", was published on Wednesday in the peer-reviewed Journal of Infectious Diseases. His report also concludes that the mutation of the virus causes the immunity to drop slightly.The study can be read at https://bit.ly/3xYBLtN.

🔴 #COVID19 update on Friday ⬇️ 14,053 new cases ⬆️ 129 deaths ⬇️ 155,910 active cases ⬇️ 1,818 serious cases. Richard Barrow

Tourism fee of B300 set for Q3. Airlines bristle at new responsibilities. The 300-baht tourism fee is scheduled to begin being collected between August and September this year using the Thailand Tourism Fee (TTF) system implemented by airlines. Bangkok Post

Tourism fee of B300 set for Q3

Travelers are at Suvarnabhumi airport in Samut Prakan early this month. (Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)

The 300-baht tourism fee is scheduled to begin being collected between August and September this year using the Thailand Tourism Fee (TTF) system implemented by airlines.

Airlines raised concerns about the budget for the system and manpower to handle the process, as they are still struggling with the pandemic impact and weak passenger flows.

"The tourism fee is in line with the revised National Tourism Policy Act of 2008, which granted permission to set up the fund from the fees collected from foreign visitors. The fund will be used to develop tourist sites and offer tourists insurance," said Chote Trachu, permanent secretary of the Tourism and Sports Ministry.

He said the fee is meant to help tourists in case of emergency, such as a sudden sickness, accident or political unrest while travelling in Thailand.

Mongkon Wimonrat, assistant tourism permanent secretary, said the TTF system will integrate with airlines' websites to display an additional screen for fee collection for foreign passport holders.

People exempt from the tourism fee collection include diplomats, government officials, people with work permits from nationalities under a memorandum of understanding with Thailand, and children under 2 years old.

Speaking at a meeting with airlines on Thursday, Mr Mongkon said airlines have to help screen tourists who pay the fee before issuing tickets, submitting the final passenger manifest to the data link 15 minutes after flights take off.

The TTF system activates 30-day insurance coverage for tourists once they arrive.

He said local and international airlines are invited to register for the experimental process starting May 2.

Mr Mongkon said the ministry will offer a training programme on the TTF system and perform test runs on the system after the fee collection is published in the Royal Gazette.

Airlines have to prepare software to connect with the TTF system and communicate with tourists to educate them about the new fee, he said.

The fee is imposed on air travellers first, before expansion to other forms of transport in the near future.

One airline representative who requested anonymity said airlines have to focus on the recovery process by boosting frequencies to Thailand, especially after further rules relaxation on May 1.

This new system and fee responsibility will require airlines to use resources to work with the TTF System, said the source.

Each country may also have a different policy regarding the Personal Data Protection Act, creating practical challenges for airlines.

The ministry is urged to provide more clarification on the insurance policy provided, such as the minimum and maximum coverage for tourist injury or fatality, said the source.

Thailand News - Corona - By Ola J. - Palmtree