Phuket: Two more infections, total 172

Phuket: Two more infections, total 172

Authorities hope 'active case finding' approach will allow faster detection

Shops and entertainment venues in the Patong area of Puket remain shut as part of the effort to contain Covid-19. Authorities on Saturday reported two more cases in the island resort province, raising the total to 172. (File photo)
Shops and entertainment venues in the Patong area of Puket remain shut as part of the effort to contain Covid-19. Authorities on Saturday reported two more cases in the island resort province, raising the total to 172. (File photo)

PHUKET: Two more coronavirus infections have been confirmed in the island province, both Thais, raising the total to 172.

Of the total cases, 56 were discharged. Of the remaining 115 who remain hospitalised, all except three were in a satisfactory condition, the provincial emergency response panel reported on Saturday.

One case was dropped. A Hungarian man was injured in a motorcycle crash. He was taken to the hospital with a fever and tested positive for Covid-19. He later died of the injuries and lung infection.  

One of the two new cases on Friday was a 64-year-old housewife who lived in the Hat Surin beach area. With no known history of being in contact with confirmed Covid-19 patients, she fell ill on April 2. 

The other new case was a 36-year-old woman, who sold Isan food in that Patong area. She had been in close contact with existing patients.

The provincial panel said 2,167 people had been tested as of Friday. Of the total, 1,983 tested negative while 184 remained in hospital.

Phuket is the first province to adopt active case finding (ACF), in which authorities screen all people in high-risk areas or groups even though they show no symptoms. The resort island this week replaced Nonthaburi as the province with the most cases after Bangkok, which had 1,286 as of Friday.

Phuket authorities found 35 new cases using ACF after screening 1,921 people between April 2 and 6. Another 1,394 people were screened from April 7-10 but the results are yet been known.  

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