The rise came with seven new infections identified throughout Saturday (Apr 10), following 17 more infections confirmed Friday night, reported the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO).
Speaking at the Indoor Sports Stadium in Saphan Hin on Saturday, the last day of covid vaccination injections before the centre shuts down until the end of the month, Vachira Phuket Hospital Director Chalermpong Sakontapol said, “The infections are mostly the new strain ER 17 [sic] from Europe. It spreads quickly, but the symptoms are not as severe [as previous strains].
“Patients will have fever, cough, a runny nose, a loss of a sense of smell and taste, pain, redness in the eyes, or possibly diarrhea or a rash,” he added.
“People can self-isolate and monitor their conditions at home for 10 days. The symptoms will heal on their own,” Dr Chalermpong said.
However, he added, “But if the symptoms are more severe, people can go to be checked at all four public hospitals: Vachira Phuket Hospital, Chalong Hospital, Patong Hospital and Thalang Hospital.”
More infections are expected and preparations are already underway to re-open the “Field Hospital” at the Prince of Songkla University Phuket campus, Dr Chalermpong noted.
The Field Hospital last year proved it can accommodate 150 beds, and already has 50 beds prepared, he added.
“About three ot four patients will be admitted to the field hospital to test the system,” he said.
TIMELINES
The PPHO released timelines of the movements of several of those now confirmed infected who had attended the mass parties last weekend.
Among the infected are four women staffers (aged 23, 28, 30 and 35) working at Illuzion nightclub in Patong, along with two patrons (one male, 28; and one female 23) and one female “visitor”, age 51.
One male, 25, linked to the infections in Thong Lor, Bangkok, had also been confirmed infected, as well as two men ‒ one Thai, one foreign ‒ who had visited Cafe Del Mar in Kamala, the PPHO noted.
The foreign male, 26, visited Cafe Del Mar, Illuzion and the Sugar Club on both April 2 and April 3, the PPHO reported.
On April 4, he visited Koh Hei via a boat out of Chalong with 2 friends, and visited Illuzion and Sugar.
Earlier in the day, the foreign man visited Hero Fitness Patong from 10am-11am , and that evening ate dinner at the Food Court in the Central shopping mall at 6:30pm before watching the 7:30pm screening of Godzilla vs Kong at Central.
On April 6, the foreign man ate “street food” from a vendor at Surin Beach.
On April 7, he presented himself at Patong Hospital, where he was confirmed as infected on April 8, the PPHO report said.
CRIMINAL CHARGES
Also present at Saphan Hin on Saturday, Maj Gen Pornsak Nuannoo, Commander of the Phuket Provincial Police, said that legal action was being taken against the operators of the three entertainment venues that hosted the mass parties last weekend.
“At the moment, a complaint already has been filed against all three entertainment establishments under the Disease Control Act, and officers are in the process of investigating all relevant parties,” he said.
PATONG WARNING
The PPHO on late Saturday night issued an “Urgent Warning” for people who presented themselves to be vaccinated at Jungceylon shopping mall on April 5 and April 7.
Any persons who were at the vaccination service centre from 11am-2pm on April 5 or from 2pm-4pm on April 7 are to self-isolate, wear a hygienic face mask and observe their condition for at least seven days, the PPHO warning said..
“If you have a respiratory condition, fever, cough, runny nose, are short of breath, or a loss of sense of smell and taste, visit a hospital near your home,” the PPHO urged.
People with queries were advised to call the PPHO at 094-5935342 or 094-5938876.
PHUKET STILL OPEN
Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew on Saturday confirmed that Phuket remains open to visitors, with no quarantine for any people arriving from any other parts of the country.
“We have not closed the province and there is no quarantine of tourists,” he said.
“People are able to travel to Phuket as usual, but we will raise the intensity of screening for those traveling into the area by land, by air and by water,” he added.
“We request strict treatment of DMHTT measures of the Department of Disease Control,” Governor Narong said.
“For those arriving from risky provinces, it is requested that you notify the EOC [Emergency Operations Centre ‒ of your travel details] so we can further monitor that information if any infection is found in the area,” he added.