The PPHO report, marked as accurate as of 8pm last night, but posted online at 12:29am today, reported two new infections among Sandbox tourist arrivals but no new infections among non-Sandbox arrivals from abroad.
However, the report also marked two more deaths attributed to COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths in Phuket attributed to COVID-19 since Apr 3 to 101. After 55 COVID deaths in September, officials have marked 26 deaths so far this month.
UPDATE: The PPHO later posted details of the deaths reported for Oct 21, as follows:
1) Case 13581, female, 65 years old (Group 608*), suffered from hypertension, not vaccinated, was a high-risk contact through her neighbours
2) Case 13764, female, 88 years old (Group 608), suffered from high blood pressure, not vaccinated, high risk contact through her family
Meanwhile, the 126 new local infections bring the total number of new local infections reported on the island in the past seven days to 984, as follows:
- Oct 15 - 153 new cases
- 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
The current total of 14,443 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 171 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, 1,969 people were under medical care or supervision, 140 fewer than the 2,109 reported the day before.
The report also marked 12,550 people in total being discharged from medical care for COVID infection since Apr 3 ‒ 263 more than the 12,287 reported yesterday.
The report recorded 13 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 112, from 1,201 to 1,089.
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 6,484 beds available for COVID patients (-276 from yesterday).
The total number of hospital beds actually occupied by COVID patients in Phuket fell from 2,295 to 2,052 (-243 from yesterday) ‒ with the 2,052 beds occupied representing 31.65% of the total number of hospital beds designated for COVID patients.
Meanwhile, the number of hospital beds reported as remaining available decreased from 4,465 to 4,432 (-33 from yesterday) ‒ with the 4,432 beds available representing 68.35% 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 217 were designated as ‘Green’ patients (-31 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.