Private hospitals asked to run Covid-19 tests

The National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control plans to beef up testing for Covid-19, citing the high demand for tests at private hospitals.
Speaking at a press conference, Deputy Director General of the Department of Healthcare and Rehabilitation, Dr Bouathep Phoumin, said many people in Vientiane did not want to be tested for Covid-19 at state-run hospitals because they were concerned about questions over their movements.
Participation of private hospitals would result in more samples being tested for Covid-19, speed up tracing of people testing positive, and support the work being done by state hospitals, she added.
Private hospitals should help with Covid testing as this was likely to result in higher numbers of cases being confirmed than at present.
“We ask for private hospitals to follow standardised procedures on testing as advised by public health authorities,” she said. 
Private hospitals are willing to follow these guidelines but require health authorities to consider the cost of treatment for Covid patients.
Nine new cases of Covid-19 were reported on Wednesday after 1,294 tests were done over the previous 24 hours, bringing the total number to date to 2,076.
The new infections comprised six community-acquired cases in Vientiane, one imported case in Savannakhet and two imported cases in Champassak.
Speaking on behalf of the National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, Deputy Director General of the Department of Communicable Diseases Control, Dr Sisavath Soutthaniraxay, said that although the number of new infections is falling, the government has extended the lockdown for another 15 days because the virus continues to spread in Vientiane.
The dominant variant of the virus in Laos is the Alpha variant which originated in the UK, while neighbouring countries have recorded both Alpha and Delta variants.
He urged members of the public to get vaccinated and said that young people should ensure that the elderly are given priority.

By Phetphoxay Sengpaseuth
(Latest Update June 24, 2021)