Thailand logged 73 new Covid-19 fatalities and 10,630 new cases during the previous 24 hours, the Public Health Ministry said on Saturday.
There were 10,563 cases in the general population and 67 among inmates. A total of 10,542 Covid patients were discharged from hospitals.
The number of Covid-19 vaccine shots administered on Friday exceeded 1 million doses for the second time, ending the day at 1,010,072. Of them, 480,064 were the first dose, 489,043 were the second and 40,965 were the third. The first time vaccinations surpassed the 1-million mark in a day was on Sept 24.
As of Friday, 59.30 million coronavirus vaccine shots had been administered, with 34.66 million people receiving the first dose, or 48.1% of the population, 22.94 million (32.8%) receiving the second, and 1.69 million (2.3%) getting the booster shot.
Since April 1, when the third Covid wave began, the country has treated 1,671,204 patients, 1,544,906 of whom have recovered. Since the pandemic started early last year, 1,700,067 people have contracted the disease and 1,561,790 have recovered.
The death toll now stands at 17,513 during the third wave after just 96 fatalities in the first 14 months of the pandemic. Single-day fatalities peaked at 312 on Aug 18 while the most cases in a day were 23,418 on Aug 13.
The number of new infections and fatalities announced on Saturday dropped from Friday’s figures of 11,140 cases and 116 deaths. On Thursday, there were 11,200 new cases and 113 fatalities.
The 73 people who died on Friday were aged 35 to 98. They were 72 Thais and one Danish national. the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said.
Bangkok continued to log the most deaths, at 12, while a combined 17 were reported in its adjacent provinces of Samut Prakan (7), Nakhon Pathom (3), Pathum Thani (3), Samut Sakhon (3) and Nonthaburi (1).
Other central provinces further from the capital recorded 26 more deaths — Saraburi (5), Chon Buri (4), Suphan Buri (4), Prachin Buri (2), Ayutthaya (2), Phetchaburi (2), Rayong (2), Kanchanaburi (2), Chachoengsao (1), Lop Buri (1), Sa Kaeo (1) and Ang Thong (1).
The South reported 10 new deaths — Narathiwat (4), Nakhon Si Thammarat (3), Phangnga (1), Surat Thani (1) and Krabi (1).
The Northeast saw four new fatalities in Chaiyaphum (2), Si Sa Ket (1) and Nakhon Ratchasima (1). The North logged four new fatalities, one each in Phichit, Nakhon Sawan, Phitsanulok and Phetchabun.
Of the 10,630 new cases, 10,621 were local infections and nine were imported cases. Of the local infections, 9,881 were confirmed at hospitals, 673 via mass testing and 67 at the prisons.
Bangkok saw the most single-day cases at 1,280, up 25 from the previous day, followed by 650 in Yala (-126), 519 in Samut Prakan (-57), 504 in Songkhla (+60), 488 in Chon Buri (-199), 470 in Narathiwat (-122), 413 in Pattani (-90) and 359 in Rayong (+17).
Greater Bangkok reported 2,184 new cases (-230) and 29 new deaths (-13). Four southern border provinces had 2,037 new cases (-278) and four new fatalities (-15), while 67 other provinces recorded 6,333 new cases (+10) and 39 new deaths (-15).
The nine imported cases were from France (1), Switzerland (1), South Korea (1), Cambodia (4) and Malaysia (2). They were one French national, one American and seven Thai returnees.
A total of 110,128 people are receiving treatment at hospitals and related facilities. Of the total, 2,967 were critically ill, with 677 on ventilators.
Global Covid-19 cases rose by 442,912 in 24 hours to 237.99 million. The worldwide death toll went up by 7,611 to 4.85 million. The United States had the most cases at 45.13 million, up 106,298. Thailand ranked 25th globally with 1.70 million new cases.