Virus Taskforce Announces Fourth Death From Covid
Source: Vientiane Times
The death of an elderly man from Covid-19 brings the total number of fatalities from the virus to four, the National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control announced on Thursday.
The 67-year-old man from Nonsa-art village in Xaythany district, Vientiane, died at Mittaphab Hospital on July 14 after being admitted on June 28 and testing positive for Covid-19.
Doctors were unable to save him as his condition was exacerbated by underlying health problems. He suffered from end-stage renal disease and chronic lung disease before being admitted to hospital, health officials said.
The man’s death has sparked further alarm about the virus and is prompting authorities to intensify their battle against the deadly disease.
However, Director General of the Department of Communicable Disease Control, Ministry of Health, Dr Rattanaxay Phetsouvanh said the infection rate in Vientiane is low and there are currently no red or yellow zones.
City authorities are no longer offering Covid-19 tests at Vientiane Ho Chi Minh Friendship High School (Sikhottabong High School) but testing is taking place at Mittaphab and Setthathirath hospitals, Dr Rattanaxay added.
On Thursday, 116 new cases of Covid-19 were reported around the country after 1,451 samples were tested, bringing the total number to 3,092.
One new case was recorded in Vientiane, and one in Oudomxay province, while Savannakhet recorded 67 imported cases.
Champassak province recorded 41 imported cases, Saravan reported four imported cases and Khammuan identified two imported cases, Dr Rattanaxay said.
A total of 5,869 people have been placed in 48 quarantine centres across the country, he added.
To slow the virus outbreak, the government is rolling out a vaccination programme to immunise as many people as possible.
At least one million doses of the Johnson & Johnson and more than 400,000 doses of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine will arrive in Laos soon.
The donated vaccines will boost the government’s immunisation programme on the road to meeting the target to vaccinate 50 percent of the population by the end of this year.
However, people who have been vaccinated are encouraged to continue to comply with the virus prevention measures laid down by the National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, especially with regard to social distancing.
Covid-19 taskforces around the country ask everyone to follow the lockdown rules with regard to travel restrictions and social gatherings, to prevent the spread of the virus.
