A Vientiane thoroughfare (Photo: Fair Dinkum)Hanoi (VNA) – The Lao Government hasdecided to postpone all big meetings gathering large number of people for majorcelebrations in 2020 as a strong measure to prevent outbreaks of thecoronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Vice President Khampjam Viphavanh, who is headof the national steering committee for important celebration events of the LaoParty and State, said on March 12 that amid the complicated developments of theCOVID-19 epidemic, Laos will cancel all massive public gatherings to celebratemajor anniversaries planned for 2020 such as the 65th founding anniversary ofthe Lao People's Revolutionary Party (March 20), the 45th National Day(December 2) and the 100th birth anniversary of President Kaysone Phomvihane(October 13).
The celebration of those anniversaries will beconducted through the issue of publications and via the mass media.
The Vice President also required agencies at alllevels and localities to postpone all events with big gatherings, and urged thepublic to carry out strict precautions to protect themselves.
The Southeast Asian country has yet to report anyconfirmed case of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the Education Ministry of Malaysia onMarch 13 announced the suspension of all outdoor assemblies and sportsactivities at schools nationwide.
In a statement, the ministry said that studentsare banned from gathering in large groups until the end of March as part ofefforts to halt the spread of the coronavirus.
In Thailand, Thiravat Hemachudha, director ofthe Health Science Centre of Emerging Diseases at Chulalongkorn University,warned that people returning from cities to their home provinces for SongkranNew Year Festival could be a vector for spreading the coronavirus disease toolder members of their families.
Thiravat, an epidemiologist specialising inemerging diseases, said large gatherings of local and foreign holidaymakers forparties could be a factor accelerating the spread of the disease if healthmeasures to contain it are not strictly enforced.
By March 13 morning, Thailand reported 75confirmed infection cases, including one fatality./.
VNA
