Airline passengers who are diplomats and officials of international organisations holding Type A and B visas for travel to Cambodia are exempted from paying Covid-19 testing fees, said the Ministry of Health in its latest adjustment of rules on Wednesday.
Health Minister Mam Bun Heng said the exemption is based on humanitarian principles, enhancing good cooperation and relations with friendly countries and objective factors, including the small number travellers who hold such visas.
Foreign passengers entering Cambodia have to pay $105 for a first Covid-19 test and transport service from the airport to hotel.
Bun Heng said exempted passengers who test positive for Covid-19 will be referred to the Royal Phnom Penh Hospital or others for treatment as decided by the ministry.
Treatment costs will be paid by the individual, embassies or international organisations.
On July 4, the ministry revised measures for foreign passengers who are investors, businesspeople, company staff, experts, skilled workers, technicians and families.
The ministry required these passengers to deposit $2,000 – a drop from $3,000. The deposit covers the costs of accommodation while waiting for testing, transport fees from the airport to hotel and expenses during the quarantine.
The Ministry of Health on Wednesday also reported that two Covid-19 patients had recovered.
Two confirmed cases were found on Tuesday. One was a Cambodian man who travelled from Pakistan and continued on a flight from Malaysia. The other was a Kazakhstani woman who travelled to Cambodia via South Korea.
This brings Cambodia’s total Covid-19 cases to 243, of which 41 are being treated at the hospital.