Vietnamplus

The National Taskforce for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in Laos has announced that the country is facing a third wave of coronavirus infections.

After one year implementing the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, Vietnam has administered nearly 198.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines on people living in the country, becoming one of the six countries with the highest vaccination coverage in the world.

Public hospitals of Laos are prepared to deal with the potential widespread outbreak of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, said the country's Health Ministry.

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.

Vietnam recorded 55,879 COVID-19 infections, including 8 imported cases, over the past 24 hours to 4pm on February 22, up more than 9,000 cases from the previous day, the Ministry of Health said.

Despite the spreading of Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, both Cambodia and Thailand affirmed that they will not impose lockdown measures.

Laos recorded 140 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, the lowest number in recent months, the Lao Ministry of Health announced on February 22.

Laos will step up the campaign to encourage Lao people to travel within the country to revive the tourism industry and its economy in the context that the government has eased restrictive measures to gradually normalise the situation.

The number of new COVID-19 cases in Indonesia is likely to reach its peak in the next 2-3 weeks, according to Abdul Kadir, Director General of Health Services under Indonesia’s Ministry of Health.

Thailand planned to negotiate bilateral travel agreements with neighbours China and Malaysia this month as part of its efforts to promote tourism recovery in the coming time, according to Thai Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana.

Cambodia reported 111 COVID-19 Omicron variant cases on February 6, the second straight day with a triple-digit increase in the number of such infections.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on January 27 held an online working session with leaders of the 63 provinces and cities to discuss tasks and solutions to prevent and control the COVID-19, especially during the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet) holidays, and preparations to reopen schools and the tourism sector.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has downgraded Indonesia's 2022 economic growth forecast to 5.6 percent in 2022, from 5.9 percent in its October report, due to the spread of the Omicron variant and slower global economic growth.

Most COVID-19 infections related to the Omicron variant of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 in Vietnam show no symptoms, according to Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City’s centre for disease control (HCDC) Nguyen Hong Tam.

The southern province of Binh Duong has confirmed one imported case of Omicron variant of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, announced the provincial Department of Health on January 23.

A total of 15,935 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Vietnam on January 21, raising the total number to 2,110,737.

The business sector in Thailand is urging the government to reinstate the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme to attract more tourists, as continued suspension of this program would spell significant economic loss.

Three first infections of SARS-CoV-2's Omicron variant have been found in the community in Ho Chi Minh City, the municipal Department of Health announced on January 19.

Concerned about the Omicron variant, Ho Chi Minh City is boosting actions to keep COVID-19 under control as the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, the biggest traditional festival in Vietnam, is nearing.

Thailand has recorded the first death from the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, authorities announced on January 16.