Takeo provincial authority visit people under quarantine. Takeo Provincial Administration
The Ministry of Health has found 64 more Covid-19 patients linked to the February 20 community incident, raising the total to 613, while 11 have recovered on March 9.
A report from the ministry said on March 10 that of the 64 patients, 39 were Cambodians, 23 were Chinese, and two were Vietnamese. The confirmed cases were detected in Phnom Penh, Preah Sihanouk , Prey Veng, Kandal and Siem Reap provinces.
The 11 recoveries included eight Chinese, two Vietnamese and one Cambodian. They reside in Phnom Penh and were discharged from hospitals after their second test came back negative for the virus.
As of March 10, Cambodia had recorded 1,124 patients with 549 recoveries and 574 hospitalisations.
After seeing people violate quarantine in private establishments linked to the February 20 community incident, Phnom Penh municipal governor Kuong Sreng issued measures to tighten quarantine enforcement. He ordered heads of security, doctors, local authorities and all relevant parties who safeguard quarantine places to be vigilant and ensure that people follow procedure according the ministry.
“There are still a small number of violators who don’t complete quarantine and have escaped from facilities. They have refused to cooperate with local authorities and disobeyed instructions from the ministry. Their actions pose a serious risk to public health,” he said.
Sreng added that individuals who evade quarantine or escape facilities will be slapped with a fine of one million riel ($250) to five million riel ($1,250) as well as punished according to the Criminal Code.
Separately, the Phnom Penh municipal police detained two people on March 9 and returned them to quarantine after they had violated home quarantine and travelled to Boeung Keng Kang market in Phnom Penh.
Korn Sok Kay, the police chief of Lvea Em district in Kandal province decided on the morning of March 10 to temporarily lockdown Veal Thum Village in Peam Oknha Ong commune after an outbreak in the village. The village has 300 families.
He said that authorities had surrounded the village and banned villagers from travelling as doctors would test for the virus.
Separately, the Batheay district administration in Kampong Cham province notified residents that a Cambodian woman had tested positive on March 8 after she had come to sell clothes on March 5 in Pha’av Market, Pha’av commune.
Three people had been in contact with the woman and have been quarantined. They also had samples taken for testing. The provincial administration also called on people suspected of coming into contact with her to quarantine.
The Kampong Speu provincial administration also notified people that a Cambodian woman had tested positive. She had come to sell clothes on March 6 at Bat Doeng Market in Odong district.
The provincial administration has closed 12 clothing stores at the market and a response team of the provincial health department went there to take samples from 25 vendors. Of the number, 17 reside in Odong district and 8 are from Kandal province.
Provincial governor Vei Samnang decided to temporarily suspend wedding ceremonies, parties and other gatherings from March 10 until further notice given the latest developments.
He said in a letter sent on March 10 to the town governor and seven district governors that given the current situation, cases linked to the February 20 community incident had been spreading quickly to communities.
“In order to prevent this virus from spreading further, governors of the town and districts should spread the word and instruct residents in villages, communes and districts to temporarily suspend marriage ceremonies, parties and other mass gatherings,” the letter read.
Samnang called on all residents to remain extremely careful and follow government guidelines, especially observing the three protections and three don’ts.
