Thailand on Tuesday reported 15 new coronavirus deaths, setting a new daily record for the third time in four days during a growing third wave of infections that has prompted new shutdowns in Bangkok and other areas.
The government also reported 2,179 new coronavirus cases, bringing total confirmed infections to 59,687 with the accumulated death toll now 163.
Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said the 15 new fatalities were all Thai nationals – nine men and six women, aged 24-88.
Nine of them died in Bangkok, two in Nakhon Sawan and one each in Chaiyaphum, Phetchaburi, Samut Prakan and Saraburi provinces.
Most of them had chronic diseases including diabetes, renal disease, obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, heart disease and cancer, Dr Taweesilp said.
Most death cases had come into contact with previously confirmed cases in their families or at their workplaces, or visited high-risk areas such as entertainment venues and markets.
“The times between infection confirmation and death ranged mainly from 1-6 days. One of the deaths came after 16 days,” Dr Taweesilp said.
Of the 2,179 new cases over the past 24 hours, 2,174 were local infections and five were imported.
Bangkok logged 993 new cases, Nonthaburi 149, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan 93 each, Chon Buri 80, Surat Thani 62, Samut Sakhon 61 (some of them contracted in Bangkok), Chiang Mai 60, Nakhon Ratchasima 33 and Ayutthaya 30.
Out of Thailand’s 77 provinces, seven had at least 50 cases, 25 had at least ten and 52 fewer than ten, Dr Taweesilp said.
The five imported cases were quarantined arrivals from Indonesia (2), Switzerland, India and the United Arab Emirates.
Of the 59,587 total cases, 33,551 (56.21%) recovered including 1,958 discharged over the past 24 hours and 25,973 were at hospitals, including 628 in critical condition and 169 on ventilators.
The third wave of Covid-19 this month has now produced 30,824 cases, including 10,069 in Bangkok, 3,292 in Chiang Mai and 2,043 in Nonthaburi. The death toll this month is now 69.
Global Covid-19 cases rose by 649,117 in 24 hours to 148.44 million. The worldwide death toll went up by 9,923 to 3,13 million.
The United States had the most cases at 32.87 million, up 47,456, and the most deaths at 586,611, up 455.
India was second with 319,435 new cases and a total of 17.62 million, and 2,764 new deaths for an accumulated toll of 197,880.