PHUKET: More than 1,100 new Covid-19 cases are being reported daily in this southern island province and local authorities are focused on treatment at home.
Provincial health chief Koosak Kookiatkul said on Thursday that 1,100-1,200 new cases were diagnosed every day. More than 600 were in local communities and the others were visitors who entered the province through Sandbox and Test & Go programmes.
Dr Koosak said 97-98% of new cases were asymptomatic or had only mild symptoms because they were Omicron infections, and the people were advised to enter home-isolation and treatment until recovery.
"Thousands of people in Phuket are receiving treatment at home. Health officials in all districts are supplying favipiravir and other medications to treat symptoms.
"These medications are available at sub-district hospitals. Favipiravir is available only to symptomatic cases and patients who are elderly or have underlying illnesses," Dr Koosak said.
About 58% of the Phuket population had already received a third dose of Covid-19 vaccine, and about 20% of children aged 5-11 years had received their first shot, he said.
Phuket governor Narong Woonciew also said that as the number of new cases rose, treatment had changed from hospital or quarantine hotel admission to self-treatment at home, because more than 95% of new cases were asymptomatic.
