GENERAL HOSPITAL

HANOI - VIENTIANE

Laos is at high risk of a major community outbreak of Covid-19, meaning that strengthened control measures are essential, according to the National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control. The government is concerned about the rise in new cases, notably in Vientiane and the provinces of Savannakhet and Bokeo, saying that locallytransmitted cases in these areas could escalate to Level 3:

Laos is at high risk of a major community outbreak of Covid-19, meaning that strengthened control measures are essential, according to the National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control. The government is concerned about the rise in new cases, notably in Vientiane and the provinces of Savannakhet and Bokeo, saying that locallytransmitted cases in these areas could escalate to Level 3: Covid-19 high (major community outbreak). A recent meeting of the taskforce secretariat committee agreed that control measures need to be more strictly enforced to contain the deadly virus. According to the minutes of the meeting on Monday signed by the Deputy Head of the Prime Minister’s Office, Mrs Thipphakone Chanthavongsa, travel to and exit from red zones (infected villages) is prohibited. In the capital, travel on roads is forbidden from 10pm to 5am. Indoor and outdoor sports are also prohibited while the start of classes this academic year has been postponed in Vientiane.The meeting of the secretariat committee instructed the capital authorities to clearly define red zones and strictly enforce the measures relating to these areas.

In addition, the sectors concerned were asked to carefully examine proposals made by private companies requesting the hire of foreign workers in Laos and ensure that the number of foreign workers hired is in keeping with actual requirements. The hiring of foreign technical staff and workers by travel companies is prohibited. The secretariat committee of the national taskforce has been advised to propose extra measures without waiting for the government’s existing Covid-19 rules to expire if community outbreaks are reported in the provinces. Laos is still struggling to contain the spread of Covid-19 as almost 2,000 migrant workers cross the border from Thailand each day, with at least 30 percent testing positive for the virus. In August alone, more than 8,700 new cases were recorded, along with seven deaths, according to the Centre of Information and Education for Health. The 952 cases reported on August 25 constituted the highest daily number recorded in Laos since the

start of the pandemic in March last year.

On Tuesday, 307 new cases were confirmed across the country, bringing the total number of Covid infections to 16,365. Of the new cases, 86 were locally-transmitted, with one reported in Vientiane, 13 in Bokeo, one in Luang Prabang, two in Luang Namtha, 29 in Khammuan, four in Saravan, 26 in Savannakhet and 10 in Champassak. Of the 221 imported cases, two were identified in

Khammuan, 10 in Saravan, 195 in Savannakhet and 14 in Champassak. The secretariat committee noted that new cases had been reported among groups of state officials, company staff and family members. It’s critical to trace infected people as soon as possible to limit the number of locallytransmitted cases.

Source: Vientiane times