The PPHO report, marked as accurate as of 8pm last night, but posted online at 12:14am today, reported two 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 119. 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 death reported for Oct 31, as follows:
1) Case 14449, male, 60 years old (Group 608*), suffered heart disease, kidney failure, not vaccinated, was a high risk contact
Meanwhile, the 62 new local infections bring the total number of new local infections reported on the island in the past seven days to 488, as follows:
- Oct 25 - 83 new cases
- Oct 26 - 80 new cases
- 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
The current total of 15,265 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 200 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, 921 people were under medical care or supervision, 48 fewer than the 969 reported the day before.
The report also marked 14,436 people in total being discharged from medical care for COVID infection since Apr 3 ‒ 111more than the 14,325 reported yesterday.
The report recorded four 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 remain unchanged at 222.
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 5,410 beds available for COVID patients (zero change from yesterday).
The total number of hospital beds actually occupied by COVID patients in Phuket decreased from 980 to 973 (-7 from yesterday) ‒ with the 973 beds occupied representing 17.99% of the total number of hospital beds designated for COVID patients.
Meanwhile, the number of hospital beds reported as remaining available increased, from 4,430 to 4,437 (+7 from yesterday) ‒ with the 4,437 beds available representing 82.01% of the total number of beds designated for COVID patients.
The report marked that of the COVID patients in care 29 were designated as ‘Red patients’ (zero change from yesterday), 319 were designated ‘Yellow’ patients (zero change from yesterday), and 127 were designated as ‘Green’ patients (-2 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.