Covid-19 cases surge despite tighter prevention measures

Four more people have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of known cases in Laos to 58, authorities announced on Saturday.
Nine cases (50th-58th) have been recorded since April 10. The most recent were linked to a fresh outbreak of the virus in Thailand, where hundreds of new infections have been recorded daily in recent days.
Director General of the Ministry of Health’s Department of Communicable Disease Control, Dr Rattanaxay Phetsouvanh, told a press conference on Saturday that the four most recent people to contract the virus were workers returning home from Thailand for Lao New Year.
The 55th case, a female aged 25, is a resident of Hinhoun district in Khammuan province. She entered Laos at the third Lao-Thai border crossing and was transferred to a quarantine facility in Khammuan province before testing positive.
The 56th case, a male aged 32, entered Savannakhet province on the morning of April 8 at the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge before being transferred to a quarantine centre.
On April 14, he went to his home in Songkhon district, accompanied by four other people. After arriving home he felt unwell and was admitted to the provincial hospital on April 15 and tested positive for Covid-19 on April 16.
The 57th case is a 24-year-old man who is also a resident of Songkhon district. He entered Savannakhet from Thailand on April 15 and was sent to the provincial quarantine centre. He tested positive for Covid-19 on April 16.
The 58th case is a 25-year-old woman whose hometown is in Borikhan district, Borikhamxay province. She entered Laos by boat and arrived in Pakkading district on April 14. After she arrived in Borikhan district her father took her to a quarantine facility. She provided a sample for testing on April 15 and a positive result was returned the following day.
The 53rd and 54th cases recorded earlier were also Lao workers returning from Thailand.
The 51st case is a 41-year-old Lao government official who returned from Mongolia via Incheon International Airport in the Republic of Korea. The 52nd case is a 48-year-old Australian man, who travelled via Kuala Lumpur Airport in Malaysia and arrived at Wattay International Airport in Vientiane.
The 50th case is a Thai national who runs a game shop in Phontong village, Chanthabouly district, Vientiane. He developed a fever and tested positive after illegal entering Laos from Thailand.
As fears of a new wave of the virus escalate, the National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control has tightened prevention measures, which will be imposed until the end of this month.
Large gatherings and parties are prohibited and the taskforce has also ordered the closure of entertainment venues, including karaoke clubs and bars.
Health authorities across the country have been instructed to accelerate the vaccination of target groups.
The taskforce also instructed the Ministry of Health to review the readiness of medical personnel, patient accommodation, medical equipment and medicines.
Meanwhile, security forces and local authorities have been told to step up border patrols to prevent people illegally entering Laos from neighbouring countries.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update April 19, 2021)