COVID-19 still complicated in Southeast Asia

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage many Southeast Asian countries, with the exception of Brunei which on May 6 marked one year free from COVID-19 transmission in the community.
COVID-19 still complicated in Southeast Asia ảnh 1In Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei on March 17 (Photo: AFP) 
Hanoi (VNA) – The COVID-19 pandemic continues toravage many Southeast Asian countries, with the exception of Brunei which onMay 6 marked one year free from COVID-19 transmission in the community.

Brunei reported the first case on March 9, 2020, and has sofar recorded 228 infection cases, 219 of them having recovered and three died.

The country launched a vaccination drive on April 3 thisyear and as of May 5, 17,776 people out of Brunei’s population of 450,000 hadbeen vaccinated.

Meanwhile, Indonesia on May 6 began imposing a travellingban across the country in an effort to contain SARS-CoV-2 during Eid al-Fitr celebrations, when millions normally travel to mark theend of the Islamic fasting month.

The country has to date logged 1.69 million infections andmore than 46,300 deaths related to the disease, a record in Southeast Asia.

The same day, Thailand confirmed a mass vaccinationprogramme for around 3 million foreigners living in the country.

With a population of nearly 67 million plus three millionforeigners, Thailand needs to inoculate some 50 million people to achieve communityimmunisation.

In the past 24 hours, Thailand announced 1,911 additionalcases and 18 deaths, bringing the total infections and fatalities to 76,811 and336, respectively.

Also on May 6, the Philippine Heath Ministry reported 6,637more cases and 191 deaths, raising the respective total numbers to 1,080,172and 17,991.

Meanwhile, the total count of COVID-19 cases in Laos rose to1,177, after 105 new cases were reported on May 6. It is one of a few countriesto have no death caused by the pandemic so far.

At a press conference on May 5, Lao Prime Minister PhankhamViphavan announced the extension of lockdown in Vientiane till May 20.

In the morning of May 6, Cambodian authorities lifted thelockdown of Phnom Penh and Ta Khmao city.

The Cambodian Health Ministry confirmed 650 new infectionson the day, bringing the total to 17,621 cases, of which 6,843 have recoveredand 114 died.

As of the same day, over 1.5 million people, equivalent to15 percent of Cambodia’s population, had been vaccinated.

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techno Hun Sen said thecountry plans to inoculate at least 10 million people./.

VNA

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