Four More cases Of Covid-19 Confirmed
Source: Vientiane Times
Four more people have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of known cases in Laos to 58, the Ministry of Health announced on Saturday.
The spike in the number of new infections raises the likelihood of an outbreak of the virus in Laos as the number of cases surges in neighbouring countries.
Director General of the ministry’s Department of Communicable Disease Control, Dr Rattanaxay Phetsouvanh, told a press conference on Saturday that the four new cases involved Lao workers returning home from Thailand for Lao New Year.
The 55th confirmed case was a 25-year year-old woman who had been working in Bangkok, Thailand, and whose home is in Hinhoun district, Khammuan province.
On April 14, she and her daughter travelled from Bangkok in a group of nine people. She entered Laos at the third Lao-Thai border crossing and was transferred to a quarantine facility in Khammuan province.
The following day she provided a sample for testing and became unwell. On April 16, her sample returned a positive result and she was taken to a self-isolation facility.
Samples have been taken from four people who were in close contact with her and are being tested.
The 56th case was a 32-year-old man who also worked in Bangkok.
On April 7, he travelled from Bangkok on a bus carrying 32 passengers. He entered Savannakhet province on the morning of April 8 at the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge before being transferred to a quarantine centre.
On April 14, he went to his home in Songkhon district, accompanied by four otherpeople. After arriving home he felt unwell and was admitted to the provincial hospital on April 15 and tested positive for Covid-19 on April 16. Samples have been taken from eight people who were in close contact with him for testing.
The 57th case was a 24-year-old man who works in a restaurant in Bangkok and whose home is also in Songkhon district, Savannakhet province.
He entered Savannakhet from Thailand on April 15 and was sent to the provincial quarantine centre. He tested positive for Covid-19 on April 16. Samples taken from 20 people who were in contact with him have all tested negative for the virus.
The 58th case was a 25-year-old woman who works in Chonburi province, Thailand, and whose home is in Borikhan district, Borikhamxay province.
She entered Laos by boat and arrived in Pakkading district on April 14. After she arrived in Borikhan district her father took her to a quarantine facility. She provided a sample for testing on April 15 and a positive result was returned the following day.
Local authorities have been urged to strictly control borders and to ensure that all returnees are quarantined.
