Challenges remain in Covid-19 outbreak, DPM tells lawmakers

There is a high risk of further outbreaks of Covid-19 in Laos, but more vaccine will be provided to immunise people against the virus, a Deputy Prime Minister told the National Assembly (NA) on Monday.
Prof. Dr Kikeo Khaykhamphithoune, who is also Chairman of the National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, told the first extraordinary session of the NA’s 9th legislature that several challenges remain and require stronger action to tackle the virus outbreak.
The DPM said the challenges include the fact that numerous migrant workers are flocking home from neighbouring country- a clear reference to Thailand where Covid-19 is rampant.

Many migrant workers have brought the virus with them, which has resulted in a high number of new cases being reported each day.
The southern provinces of Champassak and Saravan and the central provinces of Savannakhet, Khammuan and the capital Vientiane – where most of the returnees have their homes - have been overwhelmed by Covid-19 patients. “Treatment and quarantine facilities have become overcrowded,” the Deputy Prime Minister told Assembly members.
Crowded and below-standard facilities meant that social distancing was practically impossible, with the result that some of those allowed to go home after the 14-day quarantine period had contracted the virus and then spread it in their local communities, he added.
During the first week of August, the number of community-acquired infections was recorded at 90, far surpassing the figure for the whole of July at 84 cases.
In addition, some people have entered Laos illegally, making it hard to keep the virus in check. “Such action risks the further spread of the virus in local communities,” Dr Kikeo said.
Also contributing to the rise in transmission is the fact that many people are failing to comply with the government’s virus prevention and control measures.
Community outbreaks were under control throughout June until the middle of July, but the influx of migrant workers has driven up the number of new cases.
As of August 9, some 8,561 people had tested positive for Covid-19, with 170 cases reported that day. Eight people have died and 4,092 people are in hospital.
In July alone, 4,155 Covid-19 cases were reported, comprising 84 recorded as locally-transmitted and 4,071 that were imported. The Delta variant of the virus was identified in 97.9 percent of cases, which medical experts say is highly transmissible.
Since the start of the pandemic, the government, National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, and local authorities have imposed a number of measures to control the spread of infection.
Treatment and quarantine facilities have been expanded to accommodate the growing number of returning migrant workers, while medical staff, equipment and medicines have been sent from central hospitals to help provinces overwhelmed by Covid-19 patients.
Authorities are expediting the vaccination propgramme in order to immunise as many people as possible, Dr Kikeo said. As of August 6, more than 4.1 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine had been provided to Laos.  A total of 1,361,848 people have had a first dose of a vaccine, accounting for 18.56 percent of the population, while 1,212,791 people have had both doses, accounting for 16.53 percent of the population.
Laos expects to receive another 132,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine through the COVAX Facility a global partnership to ensure equitable access to the vaccine by the third quarter of this year, Dr Kikeo told Assembly members. The Australian government will donate another 500,000 doses of AstraZeneca next year.    Laos has received enormous support and assistance from friendly countries, international organisations, and various sectors of society.
From February 2020 to August 6, 2021, Laos has received equipment, medicines, and cash totalling 88.43 billion kip; US$76.25 million; 23.71 million Thai baht; 13.45 million yuan; 248.67 million Japanese yen and more than 431 million Vietnamese dong. A further 20.50 billion kip has been donated by various sectors of society. In addition, the government has allocated 50 billion kip to finance efforts to cope with the virus outbreak this year.
Thanks to this assistance and the action taken by central and local authorities, lockdown restrictions have been eased.
However, Dr Kikeo stressed the need to further strictly enforce Covid-19 prevention and control measures amid the ongoing outbreak.  A number of policies and measures have also been introduced to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on businesses and the general public.

By Souksakhone Vaenkeo
(Latest Update August 10, 2021)