UNICEF speaks highly of Cambodia’s vaccination drive

Vaccination against COVID-19 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on August 1, 2021. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) - Cambodia is among countries with the highest percentage of COVID-19 vaccination among its adult population in Western Pacific, the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) wrote in its social media network on August 4.

The country’s Khmer Times newspaper cited UNICEF’s statement  which also added that Cambodia is among the top 17 countries in the world to first vaccinate teachers.

As of August 3, some 7.6 million people in Cambodia had received the first shots and 5.03 million had been fully inoculated. 

With an aim to immunising 10 million adults, the country’s vaccination drive has met 74.84 percent of the target, while the rate of inoculated youths aged 12-17 stands at 6.31 percent.

Meanwhile, neighbouring Laos is stepping up its COVID-19 vaccination campaign so as to have half of its over 18-year-old population inoculated.

More than 1 million people in Laos had been injected with the first shot as of August 2 and 997,000 fully vaccinated.  

The country recently received 415,000 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine donated from the UK government.

On August 4, Laos reported 290 new infections, including seven ones detected in the community, according to the country’s Ministry of Health.

The national tally stood at 7,305, with seven fatalities./.

VNA