Laos records no new Covid-19 case for three consecutive days

Laos has not recorded any new Coronavirus infections for three consecutive days since April 13, the National Taskforce Committee for  Covid-19 Prevention and Control said on Wednesday. 

Thirty suspected cases, including people from Vientiane and the provinces of Luang Prabang and Khammuan, were tested on April 14 and all the results were negative, according to the committee.  

Laos hasn't reported any Covid-19 cases on April 13, 14 and 15, officials confirmed. 

This is being seen as good news and a special gift for people across the country on the occasion of the Lao New Year (Pi Mai Lao), and one of the patients was discharged from hospital on Tuesday. 

At the daily Covid-19 briefing on Wednesday, the Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Phouthone Muongpak, told the media that samples from 30 persons were sent for testing, including that of a person with close connections with a previously infected patient. 

He said the suspected cases included three Lao workers who recently returned from neighbouring Thailand. They were from Vientiane and the provinces of Luang Prabang and Khammuan.
According to the committee, a total of 1,265 people have been tested for Covid-19 between January and April 14. Of them, a total of 19 cases were diagnosed with Covid-19 symptoms. 

From March 23 to April 14, the committee has targeted and screened 488 people who had been in close contact with Covid-19 patients, and 417 of them had been cleared after the screening while 71 will undergo a follow-up inspection. 

These 71 people include 32 from Vientiane city, 38 from Xaysomboun province, and one  from Vientiane province. 

As of April 15, Laos has 19 confirmed cases. Vientiane has a total of 16 infected people who are being treated in a hospital, while another three people are being treated at a hospital in Luang Prabang province.  

Dr Phouthone called on the people to stay at home, follow social distancing rules and strictly follow the guidelines of the Prime Minister's Order No 06/PM on preventive measures to stop the spread of the virus. 

Although Laos has not seen a big bump in numbers of infected people, the government announced on Wednesday that the stay-at-home measure will be extended by 14 days until May 3. Initially, the measure was put in place from March 29 to April 19. 

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update April 15, 2020)