ALTHOUGH THE daily tally of coronavirus cases edged down to 14,150 this morning (July 27), the total number of deaths climbed to 118 even as Phuket authorities shut down all educational institutions and malls with a plan to revise the Sandbox scheme in place, Amarin TV said.
Of the large new batch of cases, 10,407 were found through surveillance and healthcare systems, 3,459 through proactive search in communities, 245 were infected in prisons and detention centres while 39 overseas arrivals were quarantined.
This raised the cumulative confirmed total to 526,828 cases.
Another 9,168 patients were cured taking total recoveries to 350,643. Still undergoing treatment are 171,921 patients with 4,284 in serious condition and 954 requiring ventilators.
The additional fatalities raised the death toll to 4,264 while altogether 16,099,670 people were vaccinated during February 28-July 26.
Meanwhile Phuket’s Governor Mr. Narong Woonciew today ordered the closure of various risky places amid rising number of Covid cases and the quick spread of infection leading to clusters emerging in many areas.
Closed during August 3-16, 2021 are all educational institutions and tutoring centres on the island except for non-formal private schools with no more than five students a class.
Also shut are department stores and all shops within them as well as Wichit subdistrict in Mueang district for thorough cleaning of air-conditioning systems with health officials to conduct Covid rapid antigen tests.
Closed too are also football and futsal fields and badminton courts while a controlled number of people are allowed in fresh and flea markets as well as walking streets with the guideline being four square metres per person.
Other activities that risk spreading this infection are banned particularly grouping together of more than a hundred people except for activities arranged by competent officials or in areas designated as quarantine facilities.
Those violating these regulations face a maximum fine of 20,000 baht and/or one year imprisonment. Another level of penalty is a maximum 100,000 baht fine and/ or two years imprisonment with the third possible penalty being 40,000 baht.
This is effective from today till Monday August 2.
Regarding the Phuket Sandbox scheme, Governor Narong said a Cabinet resolution issued June 22, 2021 had set a response plan to delay the project if the island has more than 90 new cases per week, or coronavirus spreads to all three districts or more than six sub-districts, also should there being more than three clusters as well as in the event of hospital beds occupancy reaching 80 percent capacity.
The four levels of adjustments are as follows:
– Reduce activity;
– Execute an action plan to support the situation (Sealed Route);
– Implement measures for quarantine hotels;
– Review the termination of the Phuket Sandbox project.
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Top: A Phuket beach seen through trees. Photo: Dennis Sylvester Hurd
Home Page: Phuket – everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it. Photo: Maher Najm
