Thailand record zero daily new case for the first time today

[spoon]

There were no new infections of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) reported in Thailand on Wednesday, for the first time since the pandemic began to spread here, and no new deaths.

Safe distancing is the norm, as people queue to receive assistance packages at Wat Rakhang Khositaram in Bangkok on Wednesday morning, when the government announced there were no new Covid-19 cases over the previous 24 hours. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu)

There were no new infections of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) reported in Thailand on Wednesday, for the first time since the pandemic began to spread here, and no new deaths.

Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said on Wednesday morning that the total number of cases remained at 3,017 and the death toll at 56.

"I am happy, along with everyone who has contributed to disease control... We have been doing better since the reopening of business started on May 3," he said.

Since May 3, the number of new Covid-19 cases reported daily had been in single figures, except for 18 found among quarantined migrants in Songkhla province on May 4, he said, and quickly explained the discrepancy.

"Actually May 4 was the first day when Thailand did not have a new case of local infection because the 18 cases found on that day came from quarantine facilities. The no-case announcement today makes the zero-case status official," Dr Taweesilp said.

He encouraged people to keep taking disease control precautions, mainly through hand washing, using face masks, social distancing and cleaning, to maintain the zero-case situation.

"We can relax, but cannot be reckless... Please keep to the new-normal practices. Finally, we may be among the first countries able to end the hardship brought by this disease," he said.

Dr Taweesilp said that  zero new cases did not come from any leniency in attempts to find infected people. He said that from May 1 health officials had expanded criteria for Covid-19 tests on people, to cover those with mild symptoms.

This month 34,444 people had been tested and only 0.18% of them were positive for Covid-19, he said.

Over the previous 24 hours, 46 more patients had been deemed recovered and discharged, raising the total recovery cases to 2,844, while 117 patients remained at hospitals.

Dr Taweesilp said global Covid-19 cases stood at 4.34 million with 292,893 deaths. The United States had the most cases at 1.41 million and the most deaths at 83,425.

Source : Bangkok Post

[reader]

Many ASEAN countries to receive vaccine

From CNBC

American biopharmaceutical company  Gilead Sciences has struck a licensing agreement with five generic drugmakers to make antiviral drug remdesivir in 127 countries, not including the United States, the company announced Tuesday.

Drugmakers Mylan, Cipla, Ferozsons Laboratories, Hetero Labs and Jubilant Lifesciences will manufacture remdesivir for distribution in “low-income and lower-middle-income countries, as well as several upper-middle- and high-income countries” that face health-care obstacles amid the coronavirus pandemic, the company said.

Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar and the Philippines will be among those nations.

The deal is “royalty-free” until the World Health Organization says the Covid-19 outbreak is no longer a global health crisis or “until a pharmaceutical product other than remdesivir or a vaccine is approved to treat or prevent Covid-19, whichever is earlier,” the company said. 

The Food and Drug Administration on May 1 granted emergency use authorization for Gilead’s remdesivir drug to treat Covid-19, which has infected more than 4 million people across the globe in a little over four months, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

The intravenous drug has helped shorten the recovery time of some hospitalized Covid-19 patients, new clinical trial data suggests. Without other proven treatments, physicians will likely be considering its use to treat the coronavirus.

Gilead CEO Daniel O’Day told CNBC earlier this month that the company was working to expand its supply chain after learning from other serious outbreaks such as influenza. 

The company has said it expects to produce more than 140,000 rounds of its 10-day treatment regimen by the end of this month and anticipates it can make 1 million rounds by the end of this year. Gilead said it will be able to produce “several million” rounds of its antiviral drug next year.

 

[anddy]

1 hour ago, reader said:

Many ASEAN countries to receive vaccine

From CNBC

American biopharmaceutical company  Gilead Sciences has struck a licensing agreement with five generic drugmakers to make antiviral drug remdesivir in 127 countries, not including the United States, the company announced Tuesday.

 

The news is good, but the headline is wrong, Remdesivir is not a vaccine, and there is no discussion about a vaccine to be provided in the article at all. Does CNBC not understand the difference one wonders? Hardly possible nowadays.... Sloppy journalism. 

ok ok, * nerdy hairsplitter mode off *   

[anddy]

The declining numbers and finally the long awaited ZERO today bode well for the next phase of relaxation due May 17. Hopefully they will also lift the curfew in 17th, eludes me what purpose it could serve any longer. My take is it's a measure that sounds nice and restrictive and therefore good to a military regime... We shall see.

[reader]

35 minutes ago, anddy said:

The news is good, but the headline is wrong, Remdesivir is not a vaccine, and there is no discussion about a vaccine to be provided in the article at all. Does CNBC not understand the difference one wonders? Hardly possible nowadays.... Sloppy journalism. 

ok ok, * nerdy hairsplitter mode off *   

Thanks for catching this. It was my error, not website's.

[ggobkk]

While there are numerous and active lab studies on a vaccine moving along to the point of beginning human trials, there is an equal or greater number of applications for testing of treatments for one or more of the symptoms/impacts of cover-19.  This is somewhat similar to HIV.  No vaccine two decades and more later but multiple treatment regimens. 

 

 

[williewillie]

It’s good news. Thanks spoon!