No new cases for 33 days as five patients still recovering

As of May 15, Laos has recorded no new coronavirus infections for 33 days while one male and four females are still recuperating at Mittaphab Hospital in Vientiane, according to authorities.

Mr Pham Quang Phu, Director of Sacombank Lao, receives the ‘Best Banking CEO Lao 2019’ Award given by the Global Banking and Finance Review.

The National Taskforce Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control announced the good news during their daily media briefing in the capital on Friday but urged the country to maintain its vigilance as the pandemic continued to spread around the world. 

Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Phouthone Muongpak said it was still essential to continue applying measures to prevent new infections even though the official lockdown would end on May 17.

Everyone in society and all organisations had a responsibility to practice social distancing, frequent handwashing and other actions to avert a new wave of cases in the nation, he said.

The taskforce reported that 2,335 people entered Laos on May 14 with no infections detected. Some 1,362 people, mainly truck drivers, arrived from Thailand including 21 Lao workers at Vangtao-Chongmek border checkpoint in Champassak province.

Another 23 people entered from China, and 911 from Vietnam including 11 officials, while 39 high ranking Vietnamese officials arrived via Wattay International Airport in Vientiane on May 14. 

Health authorities obtained 112 samples, including 20 suspected cases and five existing patients (the 7th, 10th, 16th, 17th and 18th cases), to test again at the Mittaphab Hospital.  Some 4,204 samples have been taken in May with no infections recorded.

According to figures from the taskforce committee, as of May 15 (at 6am), the coronavirus had spread to 212 countries and territories with 4,518,574 confirmed cases globally (92,918 new infections). The virus has claimed 302,949 lives while 1,699,354 people have recovered.  

Asean countries confirmed 752 new infections and 34 deaths on May 14.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
(Latest Update May 16, 2020)