The new cases reported today brings the total number of people in Phuket officially reported as infected with the disease since the outbreak began to 206.
According to the report released this morning, so far 7,684 people classified as at risk of contracting COVID-19 have been checked, an increase of 128 on the 7,556 reported yesterday.
Of the 7,684 at-risk people checked, a total of 7,478 had been found not showing signs of being infected with the virus, said the report.
The report noted that 96 people were still in hospital, comprising 45 people already confirmed as infected – five fewer people than reported yesterday – and 51 people still waiting for test results.
Four of the 45 people already confirmed as infected are suffering serious effects from being infected, the report noted. No other details were available.
The report noted that 161 people who had been confirmed as infected since the outbreak began had recovered and been discharged from hospital care.
The committee gave limited details of the four new cases announced today as follows:
Case 203. A Thai woman, 23, who worked from home in Bang Tao. She had close contact with the house confirmed with Case 161. She tested negative for the virus on Apr 9, but was quarantined at a hotel and later tested positive. The woman is showing no signs of infection. Two people had high risk exposure to this patient.
Case 204. A Thai man, 62, a caretaker at a mosque in Bang Tao. He lived in Bang Tao and had close contact with Case 196. The man was identified by the pro-active screening campaign. He is currently showing no signs of illness. Fifteen people had high risk exposure to this patient.
Case 205. A Thai man, 57, who worked from home in Bang Tao. He had close contact with Case 196. The man was identified by the pro-active screening campaign. The man reported being unwell at the end of March. He is currently showing no signs of infection. Nine people had high-risk exposure to this patient.
Case 206. A Thai man, 43, a religious teacher in Bang Tao. He lived in the Bang Tao area and had close contact with Case 196. The man was identified by the pro-active screening campaign. The man also reported being unwell at the end of March. He is currently showing no signs of infection. Seven people had high-risk exposure to this patient.
The report noted that the new cases confirmed in Bang Tao today where the people had been previously ill were likely to have contracted the virus and recovered and were still carrying the virus.
“As for the patients who initially tested negative but were confirmed as infected later, that depends on many factors. Therefore, any persons suffering symptoms of the disease, even if the virus is not detected, must strictly follow the advice of doctors,” the report added.