Laos records 4-digit increase in new COVID-19 cases again

Checking body temperature for passengers at an airport in Laos (Photo: VNA)

Vientiane (VNA) – The daily number of COVID-19 cases in Laos returned to the 4-digit level with 1,281 infections reported over the past 24 hours after four days of maintaining the increase rate at the 3-digit level.

Notably, northern Xayabouly province has recorded the most new cases with 606 infections, followed by the capital city of Vientiane with 227 cases.

At present, the national tally of infections in Laos reaches 127,347, including 507 deaths.

The Lao authorities are speeding up vaccinations for children aged 12 and older.

The Lao government set a goal to give vaccines against COVID-19 to at least 80 percent of its population in 2022.

Meanwhile, the Philippines recorded at least two deaths and 492 new cases related to the Omicron variant on January 19.

The capital city of Manila with a population of over 13 million people, reported the most new Omicron infections in the community with 227 cases.

The Southeast Asian nation has so far detected a total of 535 Omicron-related infections.

It is exerting efforts to prevent the 4th wave of COVID-19 outbreak in the context that the number of new cases peaked this month due to the rapidly spread of Omicron and Delta variants./.

VNA