Laos reports first community case of Omicron variant

A woman wears face mask while serving a food stall in Vientiane (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

Vientiane (VNA) - Laos has confirmed a total of 27 cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, including the first infection in the community, the National Taskforce Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control said on February 23.

Sisavath Soutthaniraxay, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Communicable Diseases Control under the Lao Ministry of Health, said that 26 cases of the Omicron variant were detected among arrivals from abroad.

The first community case of the Omicron variant was a 60-year-old woman residing in Bolikhamxay province. Contact tracing procedures are underway.

Although the number of daily cases and deaths in Laos was trending downward, health officials urged people to remain vigilant and continue to take precautions.

As of February 23, the national count reached 141,694 with 616 deaths.

Laos needs more than 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to have 93 percent of its population inoculated this year, according to the Health Ministry.

The country is stepping up the vaccination drive in five provinces until March 4 to vaccinate at least half of their population.

More than 4.28 million people in Laos had received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines as of February 22./. 

VNA