THE Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s (CCSA’s) spokesman Dr. Taweesilp Visanuyothin said at 11.30 a.m. this morning (April 18) that there were 1,767 coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours with two more fatalities taking the toll to 101, Sanook.com said.
The new batch of cases raises the cumulative confirmed total to 42,352 with 28,683 patients having been cured while 13,568 are still under treatment.
A breakdown of today’s cases shows that 1,477 people voluntarily went to the hospital for treatment while 288 were found through proactive search in communities.
Two overseas arrivals, one from Pakistan and the other from Canada, have either been hospitalised or quarantined.
Meanwhile the government has provided over 25,000 beds nationwide to field hospitals and hospitals, in order to treat the increasing number of Covid-19 patients, NNT said this morning.
Deputy government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek said 1,250 beds were usable in four field hospitals in Bangkok, where 500 more beds will be added. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation had urged universities with readiness to open field hospitals and there were 12,822 beds available at 37 field hospitals across the country.
In addition, the Ministry of Defense has procured over 5,000 beds in Bangkok and regional areas. These beds will be delivered to the Ministry of Public Health.
In another development, more than 100 medical staff at many state hospitals have been forced into self-quarantine after patients failed to disclose they had been in contact with infected people.
Khon Kaen Hospital has ordered 105 medical staff to quarantine immediately after they had been in contact with Covid-19 patients. Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital in Bangkok has also announced it would stop receiving any new Covid-19 cases until April 30 after medical personnel came into contact with Covid-19 patients.
At Samut Prakan Hospital and Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra Hospital dozens of medical staff had been forced to self-isolate after contracting Covid-19 from patients who failed to give clear information about their previous contacts.
Meanwhile, Photharam Hospital in Ratchaburi province had to carry out a thorough cleaning and announced a brief closure of its facilities after finding that six medical staff had contracted Covid-19.
Photos:
Top: A nurse taking care of a Covid patient.
Home Page: Beds at a field hospital. Photos: NNT
