Savannakhet orders lockdown as Covid cases spiral

Savannakhet authorities have ordered a lockdown of the province until September 5 following a rise in the number of locally-transmitted Covid infections.
Provincial authorities have classified certain villages as red and yellow zones, with entry to and exit from red zone areas temporarily banned.
Travel in Kaysone Phomvihane city between the hours of 8pm and 5am is also banned, except for a hospital visit or in the event of an emergency such as a death, although people wishing to travel must get permission from the provincial Covid-19 taskforce.
Gatherings of more than 10 people are banned and schools and the university in Kaysone Phomvihane city have been closed.
Clinics, gold shops, money exchange units, shops, spas, tourist sites, internet cafés, snooker clubs and sports facilities are also closed.
Restaurants may remain open but must serve food on a takeaway basis only. Vehicles that are used to transport goods, have a valid business licence and are not based in a red zone can continue to transport goods between districts and provinces, but drivers must comply with the standard virus prevention measures.
Savannakhet is one of several provinces in Laos now receiving migrant workers returning from Thailand, who are being screened for Covid as they cross the border.
On Tuesday, 336 new infections were reported across the country, raising the total to date to 12,957.
Savannakhet province recorded two imported cases and 128 locally-transmitted cases, Vientiane recorded 128 new imported and five locally-transmitted cases, while Tonphueng district in Bokeo province recorded 12 locally-transmitted cases.
Khammuan province recorded 13 imported cases and one locally-transmitted case, and Saravan recorded one locally-transmitted case.
Champassak recorded 46 imported cases, the National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control announced on August 24.
To slow the virus outbreak, the government is rolling out the vaccination programme as quickly as possible in the hope of immunising 50 percent of the adult population by the end of this year.
Meanwhile, people who have been vaccinated are encouraged to continue to comply with the virus prevention measures laid down by the National Covid-19 Taskforce, especially with regard to social distancing.

By Times Reporters
  (Latest Update August 25, 2021)