Two persons in Laos undergoing tests for coronavirus, yet to be confirmed

The National Centre for Laboratory and Epidemiology, Ministry of Health, reported this morning, February 3, that officials had identified 11 people suspected of being infected with the new coronavirus but tests on nine of them were negative. However, the other two are undergoing additional tests to confirm the presence of the virus.

Director of the centre, Dr Phonepadith Xangsayarath, said the two persons were Chinese and had been in contact with people from Wuhan, in Hubei province, where the virus is most prolific. Tests have been inconclusive and the centre is making further checks to try to get a certain negative or positive result.
Dr Phonepadith said there was a misperception that Lao medical personnel would be slow in carrying out tests for the coronavirus because the lab had old equipment. But he said Laos’ test equipment similar was the same as that used by medical staff in neighbouring countries and elsewhere in the world and took only three to four hours to give a result.
The centre asked members of the public to call the number 166 at any time of the day or night to get information and advice on self-protection against the virus and where to find a doctor in a remote area or a main town.

By Vientiane Times
(Latest Update February 3, 2020)