Medical worker takes COVID-19 test sample from a resident in Laos' Vientiane. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Thailand’s government has donated 12.8 million baht (over 400,000 USD) worth of cash and medical supplies to aid Laos’ battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first donations worth 4.3 million baht, delivered last week by the Thai Embassy in Laos, comprised 2 million baht of cash, 180 patient beds, 2,370 sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical supplies.
The second shipment of supplies, valued more than 8.5 million baht, will be delivered by the end of this month.
In addition, Thailand will provide online medical public health consultations to strengthen COVID-19 testing capacity and collaboration between Thai and Lao medical staff, especially at the Thai-Lao border, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the Thai-Lao Association for Friendship and the Thai Business Association in Laos have provided a total of 3 million baht worth of face masks, PPE outfits and others, through the Thai Embassy.
On May 10, Thailand recorded 1,630 new COVID-19 cases, sharply lower than the previous day’s tally of 2,101, taking the total national count to 85,005.
The death toll passed the 400 mark in the country, raising by 22 to 421.
Thailand has seen an increase in the number of infections among health workers in its third wave of COVID-19, stemming from patients failing to inform hospitals about their risk of contracting the virus.
From April 1 to May 7, 512 health workers were infected with the virus, according to Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA). This has raised concern of the Public Health Ministry over the spread of the disease among medical frontliners./.
