Big Covid cluster at Phang Nga prison as cases soar in Bangkok

TWO field hospitals have been set up at Phang Nga prison to treat a large Covid cluster of 428 inmates who are all asymptomatic while the number of cases in Bangkok climbed to 1,630 today (Jan. 21), Amarin TV said.

The prison cluster spread from one inmate in Zone 2 testing positive on Jan. 18 after having high fever and chills.

The authorities quickly mounted an aggressive ATK testing of all 2,360 inmates, 1,901 male and 459 female. Samples of 428 inmates yielding positive results but are asymptomatic have been sent for confirmation testing by RT-PCR.

Phang Nga Governor Mr. Chamroen Thiphayapongthada held a meeting to monitor the Covid situation amid 90 new cases excluding the prison cluster yesterday with 81 being locals, three foreigners and six migrant workers. This takes the provincial cumulative confirmed total since Jan. 1, 2022 to 1,289 cases.

The governor ordered all agencies to ensure that infection does not spread from the prison to the rest of the public.

Meanwhile the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said Bangkok not only stayed at the top of the list of 10 provinces with the most cases today, the total in the capital had also climbed to 1,630.

The details today’s top 10 worst-hit provinces are as follows:

1) Bangkok 1,630 cases, totalling 14,318;

2) Samut Prakan 700 cases, totalling 10,635;

3) Chonburi 482 cases, totalling 13,529;

4) Nonthaburi 469 cases, totalling 5,618;

5) Phuket 377 cases, totalling 6,781;

6) Pathum Thani, 294 cases, totalling 3,001;

7) Khon Kaen 273 cases, totalling 5,023;

8) Nakhon Ratchasima 189 cases, totalling 2,189;

9) Ubon Ratchathani 155 cases, totalling 6,174;

10) Nakhon Pathom 151 cases, totalling 1,489.

CCSA also said this morning that there were 8,640 new Covid cases and 13 deaths nationwide over the past 24 hours taking cumulative confirmed totals since Jan. 1 to 138,267 and since the start of the pandemic 2,361,702.

Of today’s batch of cases 8,445 were domestic cases while 195 foreigners tested positive.

Another 8,641 patients were cured taking total recoveries since Jan. 1 to 88,488 and since the start of the pandemic 2,256,982 with 82,720 patients still undergoing treatment.

Today’s 13 fatalities raised the death toll to 22,000.

Altogether 111,323,026 doses of vaccines have been administered so far.

CAPTIONS:

Top: Phang Nga prison. Photo: Amarin TV

Home Page: Bangkok cityscape. Photo: Reuters and published by Hindustan Times

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