As COVID-19 infections continue to rise steadily in Bangkok, as many as 200 rapid response mobile teams have been formed to conduct active screening of communities, in a bid to identify and separate asymptomatic carriers from others to contain the pandemic, according to the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).
2,399 new infections have been recorded in Bangkok in the past 24 hours, out of 8,656 cases nationwide. 80 more deaths were also reported.
CCSA Assistant Spokeswoman Dr. Apisamai Srirangsan said each mobile team comprises medical personnel, as well as district and security officials, and will be equipped with Rapid Antigen Test kits, medicines and educational pamphlets. Mobile labs will be deployed in case there are many people in a community in need of testing.
If a person tests positive for the disease, but with mild or no symptoms, they will be classified as “Green-level” and will be immediately isolated at home or in a community isolation facility, if home isolation is unsuitable or not possible, she added.
If clusters of infections are found during the active screening process, all will be quarantined in pre-admission facilities, in community field hospitals or in community isolation, she said, adding that infected elderly people, or those afflicted with any of the seven underlying diseases and severe cases, will be moved to hospitals.
Dr. Apisamai said that people who test negative will still need to be kept under close watch, especially those in close contact with the infected.
Seven new clusters have been found in the past 24 hours in seven provinces, including in markets, private hospitals and companies. They include a market in Si Racha district of Chon Buri, where there are 29 infections, a factory that produces LPG gas-related equipment in Lam Luk Ka district of Pathum Thani, were 13 are infected, a private hospital in Surat Thani, where there are seven infections, a food shop in Muang district of Nakhon Si Thammarat, where 12 employees are infected, a market in Muang district of Kanchanaburi and an electronic parts factory in Tak province where 22 are infected.
Cumulative infections, since April 1st, 2021, are 316,164, including 90,578 still in hospitals undergoing treatment, of which 2,895 are severe cases. The death toll in the current wave is 2,697.
Of the 80 deaths today, 37 are men and 43 women, aged from 30-94. 44 were in Bangkok, 6 in Samut Prakan, 3 each in Pathum Thani and Samut Sakhon, 5 five in Pattani, 2 in Yala and Kamphaeng Phet and 1 each in Chiang Rai, Kanchanaburi, Phetchaburi, Phuket, Nakhon Nayok, Chon Buri, Phichit, Suphan Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ayutthaya, Ang Thong, Uttaradit, Samut Songkhram, Songkhla and Udon Thani.
Source: Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS)