The only ASEAN country with no new Covid-19 cases in 8 days

During the past Bunpimay days, in Laos, checkpoints still controlled people going out to prevent and fight the epidemic. Photo: VOV

Dr. Phu-thon Muong-pac (Phoutthone Muangpak) - Standing Member of the Lao National Special Committee on Covid-19 Prevention and Control, Deputy Minister of Health of Laos said in a press conference broadcast live on Lao National Television that as of today (April 20), Laos has not recorded any new cases of Covid-19 infection for 8 days.

He also said that since the beginning of the epidemic, Laos has had a total of 19 infected cases and has cured 2 cases, no deaths, currently there are 17 cases, of which 3 are being treated at Luangprabang Provincial Hospital, the rest are being treated at Mittaphap Hospital, Vientiane Capital, all 17 patients are progressing well.

The Lao National Special Committee announced the Covid-19 situation. Photo: Lang Quoc Khanh

Although the whole country is strictly implementing Prime Minister's Directive No. 06 on social distancing and closing all border gates with neighboring countries, the Government is still open to welcoming Lao citizens returning from abroad, if necessary, the Lao News Agency (KPL) reported.

On April 19 alone, Laos welcomed nearly 1,000 citizens returning from other countries and being quarantined for 14 days as prescribed. Most of them were from Vietnam with nearly 500 cases, the rest were from China and Thailand.

KPL also said that Laos currently has 982 quarantine points for 6,191 cases and 5,396 cases are quarantined at home; 122 close contacts and suspected cases have been tested but all have negative results.

Body temperature checks at Wattay International Airport, Vientiane. Photo: AFP

Directive No. 06 of the Lao Prime Minister on social distancing and isolation from March 31 to May 3, in which, social management work has been implemented down to the administrative units of the villages, with security forces and militia as the core.

Dr. Phu-thon-Muong-pac - Deputy Minister of Health of Laos said: Up to now, Laos is still the only country in the ASEAN bloc with the least number of Covid-19 infections and maintaining the longest number, with no new infections for 8 consecutive days.

Lao media also highly appreciated Vietnam's timely assistance in the fight against the Covid-19 epidemic. Specifically, the Vietnamese Government supported Laos with many items of medical supplies and equipment, with a total value of 100,000 USD and 5 billion VND; the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense also supported Laos with 130,000 medical masks, 2,000 sets of protective clothing; 5,000 bottles of hand sanitizer; 5 engine sprayers... and shared experiences in the prevention and fight against the Covid-19 epidemic.

Nghe An province presented Xieng Khouang province (Laos) with medical equipment and necessities worth 700 million VND to prevent and fight the Covid-19 epidemic. Photo: Trong Kien

In addition, the Commands of Military Region 4 and Military Region 5 also sponsored Lao provinces with billions of dong in the fight against the Covid-19 epidemic.