Covid-19 numbers continue to set records, with 178 deaths and 18,912 cases over the past 24 hours, the Public Health Ministry reported on Saturday morning.
Of the new cases, 18,102 cases were in the general population and 810 among prison inmates.
Over the past 24 hours, 10,750 Covid-19 patients were discharged from hospitals.
Since April 1, when the third wave of Covid-19 began, there have been 568,424 Covid-19 patients, 364,494 of whom have recovered.
Since the pandemic started early last year, there have been 597,287 Covid-19 cases, 391,920 of whom recovered.
The death toll was at 4,763 in the third wave and 4,857 from the beginning of the pandemic early last year.
The previous daily records were previously seen on Thursday, when 165 deaths and 17,669 cases were logged.
The Public Health Ministry said on Friday the country could keep new daily Covid-19 fatalities below 200 by accelerating vaccinations and a two-month lockdown.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said in the afternoon briefing that the 178 fatalities were aged 15-97 years, or 67 on average. By nationality, 174 were Thais, two were Chinese and one each from Cambodia and Myanmar.
Twelve people died at home. They were in Bangkok (5), Samut Prakan (3), Pathum Thani (2), Ubon Ratchathani (1) and Pattani (1).
Those who died shared common underlying conditions — hypertension (89), diabetes (69), high chloresterol (39) and kidney disease (35). Seventy-one either lived in or had been to outbreak areas, 45 contracted the virus from colleagues and neighbours and 33 from family members.
Bangkok continued to see the highest number of fatalities, at 64, followed by Samut Prakan (20).
Other provinces saw single-digit fatalities — Nakhon Pathom (9), Nonthaburi (9), Pathum Thani (8), Pattani (7), Chon Buri (6), Nakhon Nayok (6), Samut Sakhon (4), Yala (3), Sa Kaeo (3), Saraburi (3), Phetchaburi (3) and Suphan Buri (3).
Two each were in Narathiwat, Nakhon Ratchasima, Maha Sarakham, Si Sa Ket, Ubon Ratchathani, Phetchabun and Chachoengsao. One each was in in Trang, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phuket, Surin, Kalasin, Roi Et, Sukhothai, Chai Nat, Kamphaeng Phet, Phitsanulok, Rayong, Prachin Buri, Trat, Sing Buri, Ayutthaya and Prachuap Khiri Khan.
Bangkok continued to lead in the number of daily Covid cases, at 3,668, followed by Samut Sakhon (1,178), Chon Buri (1,062), Samut Prakan (872), Rayong (670), Nonthaburi (577), Nakhon Pathom (538), Chachoengsao (437), Si Sa Ket (368) and Pathum Thani (351).
The 18,912 new cases over the previous 24 hours included 18,092 local infections, 10 imported cases and 810 in prisons. Of the local infections, 13,342 were confirmed at hospitals and 4,750 during mass testing, according to the CCSA.
The ten imported cases were from the United States (1), United Kingdom (1), United Arab Emirates (1), Qatar (1), Australia (1), Myanmar (3) and Cambodia (2). They were an American, a Cambodian, an Australian and seven Thais, two of whom entered illegally.
On Friday, 200,510 people were receiving treatment for Covid-19 at hospitals — 4,691 seriously ill and 1,032 dependent on ventilators.
From Feb 28 to July 30, a total of 17.491,632 doses of Covid-19 vaccine had been administered across the country — 13,640,175 first shots and 3,851,453 second shots.
The CCSA said five clusters of new infections had been found in four provinces — a chicken product factory in Muang district of Saraburi province (88 new cases), a cosmetic company in Muang district of Samut Sakhon (13), a construction workers’ camp in Ban Chang district of Rayong (248), a tyre company in Bang Len district of Nakhon Pathom (23) and an electronic parts company in Khlong Luang district of Pathum Thani (18).
Global Covid-19 cases rose by 642,077 in 24 hours to 198.01 million, The worldwide death toll went up 9,342 to 4.22 million. The United States had the most cases at 35.68m, up 99,470. Thailand ranked 43rd with 597,287 cases.