Cambodia on April 23  recorded 654 new COVID-19 cases, pushing the total number of infections to nearly 9,000.

Like the previous days, Phnom Penh capital city and Sihanoukville province reported the highest number of new patients, despite both of them being put under lockdown.

The country’s total number of COVID-19 is now 8,848, of which 8,301 are linked to the February 20 Community Event. The fatalities reached 61.

Sixteen Indonesians and two Cambodians were arrested for attempting to travel from Phnom Penh to Poipet city in Banteay Meanchey province during the lockdown, Khmer Times reported.

Meanwhile, in another incident, police in Kep province arrested seven Vietnamese nationals and a Cambodian for travelling from Preah Sihanouk province by sea, stopping in Kep province and making their way home to Vietnam by land.

On April 23, General Vong Pisen, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, has instructed Svay Rieng authorities to take action against two-star military officer Sum Pov, Deputy Chief of the Military Strategy Research Team, after he was implicated in smuggling 28 Chinese nationals from Phnom Penh to Svay Rieng.

Meanwhile, Laos recorded 65 new cases of COVID-19, raising the total in the country to 159, according to the Lao Ministry of Health on April 23.

Director General of the National Center for Laboratory and Epidemiology under the Lao Ministry of Health, Phonepadith Xangsayarath, told a press conference in Lao capital Vientiane on April 23 that among the new cases, 60 were detected in Vientiane capital city, two each in Champasak and Bokeo province, and one in Vientiane province.

Although no deaths have been detected in Laos so far, the country recorded more than 90 community cases in its capital city this month.

Indonesia will stop issuing visas for foreigners who have been in India in the past 14 days to prevent the spread of different coronavirus strains, its chief economic minister Airlangga Hartarto said on April 23.

Indonesians arriving from India will be allowed to enter, however, but must follow stricter health protocols and quarantine, the minister said.

The measures are effective as from April 25.

Source: VNA