BANGKOK, Nov 21 (TNA) – COVID-19 cases worldwide are increasing in winter and the public health minister urged at-risk people to receive vaccination.
Deputy government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul said Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul was concerned about increasing COVID-19 cases in many countries because the virus spread faster in winter, disease control measures were eased worldwide and Thailand was welcoming visitors from every country.
The health minister urged elderly people and those with underlying illnesses to receive vaccine booster jabs, she said.
Ms Traisuree quoted the Department of Disease Control as reporting that from Nov 13 to 19 there were 3,957 new COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals, 565 new patients a day on average, compared with 3,166 new patients from Nov 6 to 12 and the 452 new patients daily on average during the previous period.
Since Jan 1 this year, there have been 2,478,895 COVID-19 cases.
In the Nov 13-19 week, there were 69 new fatalities related to COVID-19, or 9 deaths daily on average, compared with 42 new fatalities in the previous week and its average of 6 new daily fatalities.
Since Jan 1, 2022, COVID-19 has killed 11,408 people. The number of patients with lung inflammation stood at 432. Of them, 252 depended on ventilators. (TNA)
