Even as Chonburi on Sunday notched more than 1,000 coronavirus cases a day for the first time, the Pattaya area is ready to open eight “community isolation centers.”
Banglamung District Chief Wuttisak Singhadecho said July 30 that at least one center in each subdistrict will open as planned Aug. 1 to handle thousands of people who tested positive for the coronavirus who have no or mild symptoms.
Wuttisak said Banglamung Hospital has 120 beds for patients in serious or critical condition but no more space for asymptomatic or mildly ill patients. Those have been sent to a local field hospital with 1,500 beds, but, given Banglamung’s rapid increase in daily cases, only 300 beds remain available.
Chonburi on Sunday reported 1,062 new Covid-19 cases – the first time more than 1,000 have been reported – with 239 found in Banglamung and Pattaya. Six people in the province died.
Community isolation centers are basically field hospitals, but smaller and located closer to affected neighborhoods. People who normally would go to a central field hospital can receive medical care or stay there to protect other family members from infection until they are virus-free.
Pattaya City along with Nongprue, Takhiantia and Banglamung subdistricts are using closed hotels as isolation centers. Nong Plalai has converted an old building at the Elephant Garden while Khao Maikaew is using the municipal dome and Huay Yai a local stadium.
Each center can handle varying numbers of patients, from 100-400.
Wuttisak stressed that all the centers have been prepared to handle coronavirus-infected patients and have standard health prevention measures in place.
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