Navigating the Covid Surge: Government Measures and Insights from Songkran Festival

 

 PM Srettha instructed local authorities to closely monitor the Covid-19 situation after a rise in cases during the Songkran festival. This decision followed concerns raised by the prime minister and health officials about a potential increase in Covid-19 cases.

Kenika Ounjit, a spokesperson for the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, announced that local authorities have been directed to ensure hospitals are prepared for a potential increase in patients.

The public, especially those with cold-like symptoms, are advised to wear face masks in public, regularly wash their hands, and take an ATK test. People who test positive for the virus are advised to limit contact with individuals from the 608 at-risk group, including the elderly, expectant mothers, and those with certain high-risk diseases.

Covid-19 is now classified as a communicable disease under surveillance according to the Communicable Diseases Act (2015).

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) reported that between April 14 and 20, a total of 1,004 Covid-19 patients were admitted to hospitals, averaging 143 people per day. Most cases were reported in Bangkok and major tourist provinces.

During this period, among those in the 608 at-risk group, there were three fatalities, 292 cases of pneumonitis, and 101 cases requiring intubation, according to the DDC.

Dr. Atchawin Rodjanawat, director of the National Institute of Health (NIH), stated that the majority of Covid-19 cases identified this year are of the JN.1 sub-variant, which has been diagnosed in at least 90% of cases since January. This information is based on samples collected by the NIH from about 20 patients weekly.

The Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) records show that this variant is now present worldwide.

Despite the emergence of this new sub-variant, Dr. Manoon Leechawengwongs, a pulmonologist at Vichaiyut Hospital, reassured that the disease’s severity is currently low, as reported by Bangkok Post.

The primary symptoms involve infections in the upper respiratory tract, such as the throat and nose, rather than the lower respiratory system, like the lungs and bronchia.