BANGKOK – Thailand has reported three more deaths from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and has identified 106 additional confirmed cases, taking the country’s total to 827, as of Tuesday morning (March 24). Members of the public have been asked to stay home to help contain the spread of the virus, and prevent the number of fatalities from rising further.
The Spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin, said in a press conference today that the 106 new cases are divided into three groups. In the first group of 25 cases, five are related to a group of patients who earlier visited boxing stadiums, six cases are related to those who were infected at entertainment venues, 12 cases are people who had close contact with previous cases and two cases are involved with a group of patients who attended a religious event in Malaysia.
There are 34 cases in the second group. They are not related to any previous cases. Four cases are medical personnel who previously traveled abroad or interacted with foreigners. They were infected because some patients did not provide all their travel information to them.
The third group comprises 47 patients who are waiting for further test results.
Today, Thailand confirmed three more deaths from COVID-19, all of whom were Thai men. They include is a 70-year-old man who had tuberculosis, a 79-year-old boxing expert who had a number of congenital diseases and a 45-year-old man who suffered from obesity and diabetes. Dr. Taweesin said it is safe to hold religious ceremonies for people who died from COVID-19, as their bodies are no longer a source of infection.
If people refuse to stay home to help contain the spread of COVID-19 in Thailand, the figures are expected to increase further, particularly in Bangkok. In Thailand, a person infected with COVID-19 will pass the disease on to an average of three people. The disease may also spread faster due to people traveling from Bangkok to other provinces.
Members of the public are advised to stay home and follow the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), keeping a distance of at least one meter from others, as these practices are more effective than either vaccines or medications currently available. The Ministry of Public Health has called on people in 25 community areas in seven provinces, namely UbonRatchathani, KhonKaen, Bangkok, Songkhla, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nonthaburi and Surin, to take precautions and report to disease control officials immediately. They include provincial public health physicians, provincial governors, hospital directors, district chiefs, district-level public health personnel, village headmen and chiefs, volunteers and community leaders. They are required to observe self-quarantine for 14 days. They should see their physicians immediately, if they develop a fever or other respiratory symptoms.
As of this morning, Thailand has an accumulated total of 827 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Fifty-seven of these cases have recovered, while 766 others are being treated in hospitals. Four patients are in a critical condition. (NNT)
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