The PPHO report, marked as accurate as of 8pm last night, but posted online at 11:44pm, reported one new infection among Sandbox tourist arrivals but no new infections among non-Sandbox arrivals from abroad.
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 121. After 55 COVID deaths in September, officials marked 44 deaths in total for the month of October.
UPDATE: The PPHO later posted details of the deaths reported for Nov 2, as follows:
1) Case 13185, female, 94 years old (Group 608*), suffered high blood pressure, abnormal blood lipids, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, not vaccinated, was a high risk contact
2) Case 15256, male, 67 years old (foreigner, Group 608), vaccinated before entering Phuket, type of vaccine unknown, risk profile: unclear, but had a Thai female friend in Phuket.
Meanwhile, the 57 new local infections bring the total number of new local infections reported on the island in the past seven days to 435, as follows:
- Oct 27 - 75 new cases
- Oct 28 - 68 new cases
- Oct 29 - 61 new cases
- Oct 30 - 59 new cases
- Oct 31 - 62 new cases
- Nov 1 - 53 new cases
- Nov 2 - 57 new cases
The current total of 15,376 people infected in Phuket since Apr 3 does not include 10 infected with COVID-19 in other provinces and 35 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 202 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, 821 people were under medical care or supervision, 40 fewer than the 861reported the day before.
The report also marked 14,681 people in total being discharged from medical care for COVID infection since Apr 3 ‒ 130 more than the 14,551 reported yesterday.
The report recorded nine 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 rose by two, from 187 to 189.
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 new format of the report, launched yesterday, does not clearly show the usual breakdown of COVID patients according to whether they have been designated as ‘Red’, ‘Yellow’; or ‘Green’ as it now features a greatly reduced version of the report of the breakdown of hospital beds occupied as reported by the PPHO, which usually becomes available later in the day.
A separate report posted last night by the ‘Phuket Info Center’, operated by the Phuket office of the Ministry of Interior, showed that for Monday (Nov 1) Phuket had 29 patients designated as ‘Red’, 318 patients designated as ‘Yellow’; and 123 patients designated as ‘Green’.
* ‘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.