COVID-19 complicated in Southeast Asian nations

Many people in Vientiane capital come to centres for COVID-19 testing (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Laos on March 3 added 33 new COVID-19 cases in six out of 18 cities and provinces in the past 24 hours, marking a three-fold decrease from a day earlier, reported its Health Ministry.

All 18 Lao cities and provinces remain in lockdown till May 5. The authorities are discussing whether the lockdown should be extended.

The country has so far recorded 966 infection cases, more than 900 of which were detected found from early April, mostly locally-transmitted. Sixty patients have recovered and there has been not any death related to the disease.

The same day, the Khmer Times quoted the Cambodian Health Ministry as saying that there were 841 more infections, all were locally-transmitted cases, higher than 730 cases recorded on previous day. Such has brought the national count to 15,361.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said over 1.3 million Cambodians have to date been vaccinated.

Also on May 3, Thailand logged additional 31 deaths caused by coronavirus, a record since its outbreak.

Its Health Ministry confirmed 2,041 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 71,025. The fatalities stood at 276.

The Southeast Asian nation targeted that 70 percent of its population will be vaccinated later this year.

In Indonesia, its Government has decided to extend the imposition of micro-scale public activity restrictions (PPKM) till May 17, and enforce it in 30 out of 34 cities and provinces nationwide./.