As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases tends to increase, the assigned 50 district offices are to open additional community isolation facilities in case the existing community isolation centers have the bed occupancy rate above 80%, and to accelerate public relations on communication channels
Pol. Lt. Gen. Sopon Pisuttiwong, Deputy Governor of Bangkok, chaired the meeting of the BMA’s Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (BMA-CCSA) at Rattanakosin Room, Bangkok City Hall (Sao Chingcha) to listen to a report on the situation of COVID-19 patients including the readiness of healthcare facilities to accommodate COVID-19 patients in Bangkok Metropolitan area. As of February 15, 2022, Bangkok reported 3,180 new coronavirus cases and eight new deaths. In addition, during January 1 – February 13, 2022, COVID-19 outbreaks were reported in educational institutes, ranging from pre-kindergartens to high schools. COVID-19 infections are found among teachers and students and groups of students who are at schools for sports training camps. The disease investigation found that causes and risk factors for the pandemic are infections from family members, infections among teachers, infections from high touch/contact areas in toilets, and participation in any activity without wearing a sanitary face mask. Furthermore, COVID-19 infections are detected in construction workers’ camps in which the risk factors are from having meals together, drinking water from the same water container, as well as group gathering and chatting without wearing a sanitary face mask. With regard to the COVID-19 infections in the elderly care centers, risk factors are from people outside the centers who have contacted or been infected with the disease and spread it to the older persons in the centers.
Consequently, at present, the percentage of beds occupied by patients in the hospitals under the supervision of the Medical Service Department is 94.38, in field hospitals is 83.68, in hospitels is 100, and in community isolation facilities is 36.28. However, the BMA currently provides vaccination against COVID-19 to more than 2,214,467 people in the 608 group (the elderly aged 60 years and older, patients with seven chronic diseases, and pregnant women) to reduce the risk of infection as well as disease severity and serious complications. The percentage of people who have now received the first vaccination dose is 90.72%, the second dose is 82.69% and the third dose is 41.02%. The centers would help ease caseloads of infected patients at hospitals, alleviating pressure on the health system as a whole. People who test positive for coronavirus but do not have serious symptoms are treated at the centers.