The Ministry of Public Health is urging the general public to increase compliance with lockdown measures by another five percent, so as to keep the number of new COVID-19 cases and fatalities from rising further, as a recent study shows only 20 percent compliance. The ministry also encourages people to stay home to stem the spread of COVID-19.
Permanent Secretary for Public Health, Dr. Kiattiphum Wongrajit, said today that there is a big difference in the infection and fatality numbers when the lockdown’s effectiveness is increased from 20 to 25 percent. When more COVID-19 vaccines have been administered to priority groups, including the elderly, the figures are further apart. It is essential that the people cooperate by wearing protective masks, washing their hands more regularly and practicing social distancing.
According to the Ministry of Public Health’s forecast and actual results associated with COVID-19 infections and deaths, when the lockdown’s effectiveness is at 20 percent, the number of daily infections in August is almost 20,000 people, while the average number of deaths is 150 people per day. The actual situation is in line with the forecast. If the effectiveness remains at 20 percent, the country may see 25,000 new infections per day and 250 deaths per day by August 14th. If the effectiveness is increased to 25 percent, the daily infection number will be about 10,000. By August 14th, the number will be about 13,000 to 14,000, but will not reach 15,000. The number of fatalities should be about 100 per day. By August 14th, it should not exceed 150 per day.
The Permanent Secretary for Public Health added that all 13,919 hospital beds in Bangkok and nearby provinces are now occupied, and there are people waiting for a hospital bed. In other provinces, the number of hospital beds has increased to 185,000, with 60 to 82 percent occupancy. To ease the situation, patients with mild symptoms are asked to undergo home isolation or community isolation. If their condition worsens, they will be admitted to hospital for treatment. (NNT)
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