The Department of Disease Control urged elderly people and those with underlying illnesses including young children to receive COVID-19 vaccination as it expected the number of seriously ill patients to rise in 2-4 weeks due to the presently increasing COVID-19 cases and patients admitted to hospitals.
Dr Tares Krassanairawiwong, director-general of the department, said that the number of COVID-19 cases and inpatients in the 45th week of 2022 climbed up by 12.8% from the previous week.
The number of severely ill patients went up slightly while fatal cases remained stable. The situation was expected as there would naturally be small waves after COVID-19 was declared a communicable disease under surveillance on Oct 1, he said.
Inpatients were increasing in the Greater Bangkok and tourist provinces, especially those in the East and the South. Most of the provinces welcomed more Thai and foreign visitors and organized more activities attracting crowd gatherings, Dr Tares said.
In the 45th week (Nov 6-12) most of patients depending on ventilators and new fatalities had never been vaccinated or did not get a booster shot. Thus, they did not have any antibody for the disease, he said.
Unvaccinated people and those without booster jabs, especially senior citizens and people with chronic illnesses, could fall severely ill if they contracted COVID-19, Dr Tares said. (TNA)
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