Cambodia, Laos intensify pandemic prevention efforts

Checking temperature for a shopper at a wet market (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The Cambodian Government has decided to extend its intensified COVID-19 prevention and control campaign by a week, while the Lao Government has ordered increasing contact tracing for prompt treatment.

The Cambodian Government's directive announced on the evening of August 11 said that the campaign to strengthen COVID-19 prevention measures in the past 14 days had been effective in controlling and slowing the spread of the Delta variant in the community.

Prime Minister Hun Sen has decided to extend lockdown in the provinces bordering Thailand and Siem Reap province for another week from August 13 to 19 to prevent COVID-19.

Phnom Penh, on August 11, also extended its curfew for another week from August 13, but it will begin at 10pm to 3am. A decision to temporarily suspend private gatherings or gatherings of more than 15 people was issued for an additional 14 days from August 13 to 26.

The National Commission for Combating COVID-19 announced a new seven-point guideline to reduce the spread of the Delta variant in the country.

The Cambodian Ministry of Health confirmed 455 new COVID-19 cases on August 12, the lowest number since August 10. On the same day, the nation’s total caseload, recoveries, and death toll amounted to 83,839, 78,431, and 1,634, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Lao Ministry of Health on August 12 said due to concerns about the risk of the disease spread from returning workers and community infections, the Government has requested the strengthening of contact tracing for timely treatment.

The ministry has allowed the establishment of a COVID-19 testing centre at the Boten border gate in Luang Namtha province, which is capable of performing 3,000 – 8,000 tests a day, serving demand of locals, students, and officials traveling through the border gate, among others.

On August 12, the nation posted 202 new cases of COVID-19 and a death, pushing the national total to 9,363 and the death toll to nine.

Also on the same day, the Malaysian health body confirmed 21,668 new COVID-19 infections, the highest number to date. The country’s total cases and deaths now exceed 1.34 million and 11,300, respectively./.

VNA