The PPHO report, marked as accurate as of 8pm last night, and posted online after 10:30pm, reported no new infections among Sandbox tourist arrivals, but marked two new infections of people returning from other countries and testing positive.
The report also marked two new deaths attributed to COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths in Phuket attributed to COVID-19 since Apr 3 to 73. Of those, 53 occurred this month, with 20 deaths reported in the past seven days.
UPDATE: The PPHO this morning (Sept 27) posted details of the two deaths reported for Sept 26, as follows:
1) Case 8460, female, 42 years old (Group 608*), suffered diabetes, weight was 102 kg, vaccinated with two doses of Sinovac vaccine.
2) Case 9362, male, 62 years old (Group 608*), suffered high blood pressure, kidney disease, risk history: was known to visit areas where there are many people often, history of vaccination unknown.
Meanwhile, the 193 new local infections bring the total number of new local infections reported on the island in the past seven days to 1,595, as follows:
- Sept 20 - 237 new cases
- Sept 21 - 254 new cases
- Sept 22 - 239 new cases
- Sept 23 - 228 new cases
- Sept 24 - 225 new cases
- Sept 25 - 219 new cases
- Sept 26 - 193 new cases
The current total of 10,362 people infected in Phuket since Apr 3 does not include 10 infected with COVID-19 in other provinces and 25 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 109 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, 4,277 people were under medical care or supervision, a decrease of 75 from the 4,352 reported the day before.
The report also marked 6,277 people in total being discharged from medical care for COVID infection since Apr 3 ‒ 318 more than the 5,959 reported yesterday.
The report recorded 25 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 fell by five, from 1,512 to 1,507.
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 2,471 beds available for COVID patients ‒ an increase of six from yesterday.
Meanwhile, the total number of hospital beds actually occupied by COVID patients in Phuket fell by five, from 1,992 to 1,987 ‒ representing 80.41% of the total number of hospital beds available being occupied.
The number of hospital beds reported as remaining available rose by 11, from 473 to 484, representing 19.59% of the total number of beds designated for COVID patients.
The report marked that of the COVID patients in care 35 were designated as ‘Red patients’ (zero change since Sept 17 report), 347 were designated ‘Yellow’ patients (also zero change since Sept 17 report), and 286 were designated as ‘Green’ patients (-5 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.