The PPHO report, marked as accurate as of 8pm last night, and posted online at 9:37pm, reported three new infections among Sandbox tourist arrivals and two new infections among non-Sandbox arrivals from abroad.
The report also marked three new deaths attributed to COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths in Phuket attributed to COVID-19 since Apr 3 to 83. Of those, 63 deaths have occurred since Sept 4. Eight of those deaths have been in the past three days.
UPDATE: The PPHO later posted details of the deaths reported for Oct 4, as follows:
1) Case 11363, male, 72 years old (Group 608*), suffered high blood pressure, no vaccination history, was a high risk contact
2) Case 11236, female, 75 years old (Group 608), no known congenital diseases, not vaccinated, was a high risk contact
3) Case 11714, female, 35 years old, Myanmar (Group 608), congenital heart disease, not vaccinated, risk history: occupation at risk of infection
Meanwhile, the 177 new local infections bring the total number of new local infections reported on the island in the past seven days to 1,288, as follows:
- Sept 28 - 187 new cases
- Sept 29 - 195 new cases
- Sept 30 - 188 new cases
- Oct 1 - 182 new cases
- Oct 2 - 180 new cases
- Oct 3 - 179 new cases
- Oct 4 - 177 new cases
The current total of 11,834 people infected in Phuket since Apr 3 does not include 10 infected with COVID-19 in other provinces and 28 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 129 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, 4,442 people were under medical care or supervision, a decrease of 218 from the 4,660 reported the day before.
The report also marked 7,550 people in total being discharged from medical care for COVID infection since Apr 3 ‒ 397 more than the 7,153 reported yesterday.
The report recorded 26 people suspected of being infected with COVID-19 after testing positive by antigen test kits (ATK), but the total number of people reported as currently being held at ‘COVID-19 Care Centers’ across the island increased by 182, from 2,180 to 2,362.
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 6,360 beds available for COVID patients (zero change from yesterday).
The total number of hospital beds actually occupied by COVID patients in Phuket increased by 142, from 4,166 to 4,308 ‒ with the 4,308 beds occupied representing 67.74% of the total number of hospital beds designated for COVID patients.
Meanwhile, the number of hospital beds reported as remaining available decreased by 142, from 2,194 to 2,052 ‒ with the 2,052 beds available representing 34.50% of the total number of beds designated for COVID patients.
The report marked that of the COVID patients in care only 35 were designated as ‘Red patients’ (zero change since Sept 15 report), 379 were designated ‘Yellow’ patients (zero change from yesterday), and 282 were designated as ‘Green’ patients (-49 from yesterday).
The PPHO no longer issues an updated map showing the locations of COVID infections across the island. The most recent map was posted publicly on Sept 16. It was dated Sept 15 but marked as accurate as of 6pm on Sept 14, and was the first daily report to mark five COVID deaths on the one day.
* ‘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.