Bangkok-
Update: The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has released a statement as of 8:00 P.M., July 17th, saying that the governor has not been directly invited or required to attend in person but that the BMA permanent secretary or a similar role will likely attend the meeting, slightly differing from the Public Health Ministry’s original statement to the press.
The Thai Public Health Ministry has called an emergency meeting with the Bangkok Governor on Monday, July 18th, to discuss rising Covid-19 cases in the capital and fears around highly transmissible sub-variants of the virus.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health Dr. Kiattiphum Wongrajit stated this evening, Sunday, July 17th, that the talks were called due to the end of a five-day long holiday and concerns from many prominent doctors that cases were rising in the capital and tourism areas especially due to relaxed restrictions and guard being lowered by many.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt will be part of the meeting to discuss how to properly prepare hospitals for any potential new waves of Covid-19 and how to curb risky activities that could further spread the virus, according to Dr. Kiattiphum.
According to Dr. Kiattiphum, more than half of the current roughly 2000 cases of Covid-19 recorded daily and admitted to hospitals was in Bangkok. Dr. Kiattiphum stated that although nationwide hospital beds for patients with Covid-19 who have moderate and serious symptoms were only at about 13 percent that this rate rose to 42 percent in Bangkok.
The main purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the need for possible further hospital beds and community isolation centers in the capital for patients who needed it, Dr. Kiattiphum concluded.
TPN will provide any updates from the meeting tomorrow afternoon.
