The PPHO report, marked as accurate as of 8pm last night, reported three new infections among Sandbox tourist arrivals but no new infections among non-Sandbox arrivals from abroad.
The report also marked one new death attributed to COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths in Phuket attributed to COVID-19 since Apr 3 to 76. Of those, 56 deaths have occurred since Sept 4.
UPDATE: The PPHO later posted details of the death reported for Oct 2, as follows:
1) Case 5418, male, 82 years old (Group 608*), suffered from hypertension and diabetes, had received two injections of Sinovac, was a high risk contact
Meanwhile, the 180 new local infections bring the total number of new local infections reported on the island in the past seven days to 1,309, as follows:
- Sept 26 - 193 new cases
- Sept 27 - 184 new cases
- 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
The current total of 11,478 people infected in Phuket since Apr 3 does not include 10 infected with COVID-19 in other provinces and 26 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 125 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, 4,697 people were under medical care or supervision, an increase of just four from the 4,693 reported the day before.
The report also marked 6,940 people in total being discharged from medical care for COVID infection since Apr 3 ‒ 178 more than the 6,762 reported yesterday.
The report recorded 59 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 46, from 2,064 to 2,110.
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 48, from 4,084 to 4,132 ‒ with the 4,132 beds occupied representing 64.97% of the total number of hospital beds designated for COVID patients.
Consequently, the number of hospital beds reported as remaining available decreased by 48, from 2,276 to 2,228 ‒ with the 2,228 beds available representing 35.03% 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 300 were designated as ‘Green’ patients (+40 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.