New testing method behind sharp increase in Covid-19 cases since March 15
The sharp increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in Thailand since March 15 is due to the new standards of testing, a Public Health Ministry explained on Tuesday (March 24).
Earlier two labs had to show a positive result before a case was confirmed, but now a positive test from one lab is counted as a confirmed case, Assistant. Professor Walailak Chaiyasoot said at the Covid-19 daily report press conference on Tuesday.
She added that the performance of the labs had been enhanced hence one lab test was deemed adequate.
A lab in Bangkok can test 10,000 samples for Covid-19 daily and 10,000 samples outside Bangkok.
According to statistics, men were more vulnerable to infection than women by a ratio of 2:1.
Most patients were found in the range of 30-39 years, followed by 20-29 years old.
As of March 23, the three provinces with the most number of infections were: Bangkok (329), Nonthaburi (47) and Chonburi (30).
The transmission rate in the last seven days is a patient in Bangkok could transmit to 3.4 healthy people, while the Songkhla, Yala, and Phuket ratio is 1 patient to 2 people and in other provinces it is 1:1.8.
“The global ratio is one patient to two healthy people on average, which means the transmission rate in Bangkok exceeds the global rate. If people strictly follow social distancing, the transmission rate will decrease by 80 per cent,” she said.