Hospital bed occupancy still below 50%

MORE than 50% of Thailand’s hospital beds are still available despite the surge in Omicron cases, the Department of Medical Services reported.

As at Feb 16, Covid-19 patients were using 80,756 of a total 174,029 beds available – an occupancy rate of 46.4%. Meanwhile, 93,273 beds were still free.

In Bangkok and surrounding provinces, Covid-19 patients occupied 25,359 of a total 55,369 available beds, a 45.8% occupancy rate.

“February has seen infection rates almost double from January due to the spread of the Omicron variant at the community level but the number of pneumonia cases has increased only marginally,” said department director-general Dr Somsak Ankasil.

“About 50 new patients have required respirators in February, a 0.1% increase from the previous month,” he added.

“The daily average for (Covid-19) deaths in February is 23, while in January it was 18.”

Somsak added that since Covid19 infections were still rising, the department will divert patients with mild symptoms to home, community and hotel isolation to ensure that there were enough hospital beds to treat those with severe symptoms of Covid-19 and other diseases. “Meanwhile, patients in the yellow category with mild to moderate symptoms but also chronic illnesses that require close monitoring will be treated at either private or public hospitals under the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients scheme,” he said.

“The department has also instructed hospitals to convert as many beds as they can into Covid19 treatment beds.”