Thailand's new COVID-19 cases exceed 2000, set record

BANGKOK: Thailand's health authorities announced Friday they have confirmed 2,070 new COVID-19 cases, a new daily record that brings the country's total to 50,183.

The rising numbers are severely straining the supply of hospital beds and ICU capacity.

The record number of new infections came a day after a new daily high of seven deaths was announced.

Four more deaths were announced Friday, bringing Thailand's total to 121.

At the beginning of March, Thailand had 26,031 cases with double-digit daily increases, but a new outbreak sent the numbers skyrocketing.

Taweesilp Visanuyothin, a spokesman for the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration, said Bangkok, with the highest number of cases, has only 69 empty ICU beds left out of a total of more than 400.

He said that is enough for the next six to eight days according to the projected demand of 10-13 additional ICU beds per day.

Nationwide demand, forecast at 52 ICU beds per day, would use up the capacity in 19 days, he said.

Under Thai law, infected patients must be held in hospital facilities, but even with the addition of field hospitals there are not enough beds.

There are 19,873 people in hospitals and field facilities nationwide, but in some areas that are short of beds, infected people are isolating at home.