New COVID-19 cases in Cambodia, Laos continue to rise sharply

Cambodia on April 23 recorded 654 new COVID-19 cases, pushing the total number of infections to nearly 9,000.
New COVID-19 cases in Cambodia, Laos continue to rise sharply ảnh 1A street in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, under lock-down due to COVID-19.(Photo: Xinhua/VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Cambodiaon April 23  recorded 654 newCOVID-19 cases, pushing the total number of infections to nearly 9,000.

Like theprevious days, Phnom Penh capital city and Sihanoukville province reported the highestnumber of new patients, despite both of them being put under lockdown.

The country’stotal number of COVID-19 is now 8,848, of which 8,301 are linked to theFebruary 20 Community Event. The fatalities reached 61.

Sixteen Indonesiansand two Cambodians were arrested for attempting to travel from Phnom Penh toPoipet city in Banteay Meanchey province during the lockdown, Khmer Timesreported.

Meanwhile, in anotherincident, police in Kep province arrested seven Vietnamese nationals and aCambodian for travelling from Preah Sihanouk province by sea, stopping in Kepprovince and making their way home to Vietnam by land.

On April 23, GeneralVong Pisen, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, hasinstructed Svay Rieng authorities to take action against two-star militaryofficer Sum Pov, Deputy Chief of the Military Strategy Research Team, after hewas implicated in smuggling 28 Chinese nationals from Phnom Penh to Svay Rieng.

Meanwhile, Laosrecorded 65 new cases of COVID-19, raising the total in the country to 159,according to the Lao Ministry of Health on April 23.

Director General ofthe National Center for Laboratory and Epidemiology under the Lao Ministry ofHealth, Phonepadith Xangsayarath, told a press conference in Lao capitalVientiane on April 23 that among the new cases, 60 were detected in Vientiane capital city,two each in Champasak and Bokeo province, and one in Vientiane province.

Although no deathshave been detected in Laos so far, the country recorded more than 90 communitycases in its capital city this month.

Indonesia will stopissuing visas for foreigners who have been in India in the past 14 days toprevent the spread of different coronavirus strains, its chief economicminister Airlangga Hartarto said on April 23.

Indonesians arrivingfrom India will be allowed to enter, however, but must follow stricter healthprotocols and quarantine, the minister said.
The measures are effective as fromApril 25./.
VNA

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