Laos: COVID-19 infections on the rise

Illustrative image (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

Vientiane (VNA) - Laos reported 155 new COVID-19 infections and two more fatalities on August 29, lifting its national count and death toll to 14,816, and 14, respectively.

According to the Lao Ministry of Health, more and more children and pregnant women are infected with the coronavirus in the country. In this context, the ministry will apply special care and treatment for these groups.

The Lao government has also required localities to strictly control border areas through serious patrols, and enhance medical screening in line with regulations to contain the spread of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, over 600 schools in Jakarta, Indonesia were re-opened on August 30 as coronavirus restrictions eased, despite concerns over the risk of clusters in classrooms caused by the highly transmissible Delta variant.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said 610 of 10,000 schools deemed safe had opened at 50 percent of the capacity.

Anies said 91 percent of students aged 12-18 and 85 percent of teachers in Jakarta have been fully vaccinated.

Nearly 70 percent of Jakarta's population have been given COVID-19 vaccines, he added.

Education Minister Nadiem Makarim last week called for school reopening to be accelerated to ensure the quality of learning and teaching.

Official data show that about 1 percent of Indonesian coronavirus deaths and 13 percent of infection cases have been minors./.