At least 50 people in a Klong Toey community in central Bangkok have been confirmed as being infected with the Covid-19 virus.

Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang announced on his Facebook page that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and Institute for Urban Disease Control and Prevention had used an express analysis mobile unit to test 925 residents in the community on Tuesday.

The district office and Erawan Medical Centre have been ordered to take the infected to field hospitals as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, the BMA and institute are continuing to proactively search for Covid-positive people.

Pol Gen Aswin also led officers from Medical Service Department and Bangkapi district office to inspect Baan Thai Boutique Hotel, on Ramkhamhaeng Road in Bangkapi district ahead of its opening as a 300-bed hospital-cum-hotel, or "hospitel" today.

The operation is being run with the BMA-run Taksin Hospital to accommodate patients with mild symptoms.

The Baan Thai hospitel will have a 24-hour emergency medical service plus rescue vans that aim to deliver patients to hospital inside 15 minutes.

Also prepared in the hospitel are X-ray machines to examine especially sick patients and telemedicine software that will enable doctors from Taksin Hospital to liaise online with patients and advise them speedily.

Patients will also be able to report their daily health condition to an online platform, arranged by the National Innovation Agency. The platform can track patients' locations, record their health information and allow them to chat with doctors through chats and video calls.

The National Health Commission Office, BMA and civil networks have set up a community isolation centre at Saphan temple in Phra Khanong district to isolate patients from the Klong Toey community while they await hospitalisation.

Dr Prateep Thanakitcharoen, secretary-general of National Health Commission Office, said the isolation centre would be opened today and run by Klong Toey communities.

 

 

 

Bangkok Post