The Department of Disease Control (DDC) expressed concerns that more Covid-19 patients have been reported after the Omicron subvariant BA.2.75 has become dominant in Thailand.
According to the Department of Medical Science, recent single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP/deletion) tests have shown that the BA.2.75 subvariant is now the dominant strain, accounting for 75.9% of cases, which is an increase from 58.9% last week. The previous dominant subvariant, BA.5, was replaced because BA.2.75 has a key mutation in its spike proteins that increases its resistance to antibodies.
DDC director-general Dr. Tares Krassanairawiwong stated that there has been an increase in Covid-19 cases for inpatients, patients in critical condition, and fatalities in Bangkok, its neighboring provinces, as well as provinces in the east and southern regions of Thailand.
Dr. Tares advised people who had returned from abroad to seek medical attention if they exhibit any Covid-19 symptoms and asked those who had not received booster doses to avoid contact with people in vulnerable groups. He added that the DDC has issued Covid-19 preventive guidelines, urging people to get a booster shot as the New Year holiday approaches, and has instructed its collaborators to administer vaccination regardless of whether appointments were scheduled in advance. (NNT)
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