Health Officials Report 10 New Covid-19 Cases Among Arrivals

Thailand’s health officials reported 10 new imported covid-19 cases on Saturday, all quarantined arrivals from eight countries, raising the total to 3,902 with no new deaths.

The new arrivals cases were from Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Belgium, India, the Netherlands and the United States, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration.

Of the 3,902 covid-19 infected people, 3,756 (96.3%) have recovered, including 11 discharged from hospitals over the past 24 hours, and 86 people remain in hospitals. The death toll remains at 60, said the CCSA.

Global Covid-19 cases rose by 659,511 over the previous 24 hours to 57.9 million. The worldwide death toll rose by 11,086 to 1.37 million. The US had the most cases at 12.27 million, up 201,083, followed by India with 9.05 million, up 46,288. Thailand ranked 151st.

The cabinet on Tuesday gave permission for the Public Health Ministry to pay six billion baht and reserve 26 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine from AstraZeneca.

Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said the money would come from its emergency budget reserved for the procurement of the vaccine now being tested by the large British biopharmaceutical company.

The budget will go to two places: 2.379 billion baht to the National Vaccine Institute for vaccine development and 3.59 billion baht to the Disease Control Department for vaccine procurement and management.

Refugee tests positive for Covid-19

Meanwhile, the Bangkok Post reports local authorities on Saturday put a refugee camp in Tak’s Phop Phra district under lockdown after a Myanmar national there tested positive for Covid-19.

Health officials reported the measures are being implemented after a 48-year-old refugee named Soga Ne, 48, who had snuck into Myanmar and back into the camp through a natural border. The refugee exhibited signs of infection including a fever and was tested at the camp’s medical unit.

There are 10 people believed to have been in close contact with Ne and they are being isolated and tested.

All refugees in the camp have now been prohibited from going outside and no one is allowed in for the time being, he said.