The PPHO report, marked as accurate as of 8pm last night, but posted online at 12:16am today, reported one new infection among Sandbox tourist arrivals and no new infections among non-Sandbox arrivals from abroad.
However, the report also marked six more deaths attributed to COVID-19, the highest number of COVID deaths reported in Phuket in one day since the pandemic began.
The six deaths bring the total number of deaths in Phuket attributed to COVID-19 since Apr 3 to 107. After 55 COVID deaths in September, officials have marked 32 deaths so far this month.
UPDATE: The PPHO later posted details of the deaths reported for Oct 22, as follows:
1) Case 12411, female, 82 years old (Group 608*), suffered from high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, renal failure, not vaccinated, high risk contact through family members
2) Case 14221, male, 69 years old (bed-ridden patient, Group 608) suffered from hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, history of stroke, “Gout Old TB” [sic], not vaccinated, was a high risk contact
3) Case 9785, male, 63 years old (Group 608), suffered from hypertension, diabetes and gout, not vaccinated, was a high risk contact through family
4) Case 9373, female, 44 years old (Group 608), suffered from hypertension, renal failure, not vaccinated, high risk contact through family
5) Case 13499, male, 78 years old (bed-ridden patient, Group 608), suffered from hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, “Gout Old TB” [sic], not vaccinated, was a high risk contact
6) Case 10176, male, 63 years old (Group 608), suffered from hypertension, renal failure, had received two vaccination injections (which vaccines not noted), was a high risk contact through the community
Meanwhile, the 118 new local infections bring the total number of new local infections reported on the island in the past seven days to 949, as follows:
- Oct 16 - 149 new cases
- Oct 17 - 144 new cases
- Oct 18 - 140 new cases
- Oct 19 - 132 new cases
- Oct 20 - 140 new cases
- Oct 21 - 126 new cases
- Oct 22 - 118 new cases
The current total of 14,561 people infected in Phuket since Apr 3 does not include 10 infected with COVID-19 in other provinces and 30 returning from other countries and testing positive.
The current Phuket tally also does not include 42 COVID patients brought back to Phuket under the “Bring Phuket people home” policy, or the 172 Phuket Sandbox arrivals who have tested positive for the virus after landing on the island since the Sandbox scheme began on July 1.
According to the PPHO COVID situation report for yesterday, 1,702 people were under medical care or supervision, 267 fewer than the 1,969 reported the day before.
The report also marked 12,930 people in total being discharged from medical care for COVID infection since Apr 3 ‒ 380 more than the 12,550 reported yesterday.
The report recorded just three people suspected of being infected with COVID-19 after testing positive by antigen test kits (ATK), and the total number of people reported as currently being held at ‘COVID-19 Care Centers’ across the island fell by 328, from 1,089 to 761.
The report did not confirm how many people who tested positive by ATKs were confirmed infected by RT-PCR tests or how many people had been released from ATK detention at ‘COVID-19 Care Centers’ and allowed to go home.
The PPHO daily COVID situation report also marked that Phuket currently has in total 6,063 beds available for COVID patients (-421 from yesterday).
The total number of hospital beds actually occupied by COVID patients in Phuket fell from 2,052 to 1,793 (-259 from yesterday) ‒ with the 1,793 beds occupied representing 29.57% of the total number of hospital beds designated for COVID patients.
Meanwhile, the number of hospital beds reported as remaining available decreased from 4,432 to 4,270 (-162 from yesterday) ‒ with the 4,270 beds available representing 70.43% of the total number of beds designated for COVID patients.
The report marked that of the COVID patients in care only 30 were designated as ‘Red patients’ (zero change from yesterday), 351 were designated ‘Yellow’ patients (zero change from yesterday), and 192 were designated as ‘Green’ patients (-25 from yesterday).
* ‘Group 608’ has become Phuket officials’ preferred term for higher at risk patients, comprising people over 60 years old along with those suffering from any of the seven recognised medical conditions that place patients at higher risk of developing serious signs of infection, plus women more than 12 weeks pregnant.