PRIME Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said this afternoon (March 2) after the Cabinet meeting that he will look into online media reports that coronavirus vaccines are being hoarded for VIPs in some provinces and confirmed that he did not order that this be done, Siam Rath newspaper said.
He added that the Public Health Ministry too confirmed it did not give this order and that it was a matter for the provincial committee to look into the details and act fairly.
He added that people at risk had to be taken care of, among them are medical personnel and those in tourist areas, however in the beginning there might be some problems due to the limited amount of vaccines available.
However Gen. Prayut said he had approved the budget for the procurement of the second lot of vaccines and that he expected 60 percent of the population would be vaccinated.
Earlier this morning the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) announced that there were 42 new coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours but one additional death taking the toll to 84, Sanook.com said.
This new batch of infection raises the cumulative confirmed total to 26,073 with 25,420 patients having recovered while 569 are undergoing treatment.
The patient who died is a 92-year-old man who lived in Pathum Thani province and was suffering from diabetes, hypertension and heart diseases. He had purchased goods with a merchant at Pornpat market who was later confirmed to have caught Covid-19. He was admitted to hospital on Feb 23 and passed away on Feb 28.
Of today’s 42 cases, all were domestic except for three overseas travellers with one each coming from the United Arab Emirates, Serbia and Germany.
Thirty-five of the domestic cases emerged through surveillance and service systems and four through proactive search in communities.
Photo:
Top: Gen. Prayut briefing the press today. Photo: Siam Rath
Home Page: An official spraying disinfectant in a building. Thai headline says, “42 new cases today.” Photo: Sanook.com
