Complicated COVID-19 situations recorded in Southeast Asia

Indonesia recorded a daily spike of 25,830 COVID-19 cases on July 2, while Cambodia decided to suspend the operation of the Olympic Market in Phnom Penh to prevent the spread of the epidemic.

Collecting samples for COVID-19 testing from people in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, on June 29

Indonesia on July 2 reported 25,830 coronavirus infections and 539 deaths, both record highs. It was also the 7th consecutive day the nation’s daily number of cases exceeding 20.000.

Also on the day, the nation issued an emergency use authorisation for the COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by the US-based pharmaceutical company Moderna.

Indonesia has so far reported a total 2,228,938 cases and 59,534 deaths.

On the same day, in Cambodia, the Phnom Penh authorities decided to close the Olympic Market, one of its big central markets, for 14 days from July 3 to 16.

The move came after the detection of more than 40 cases at the place. As of July 2, Cambodia had confirmed 52,350 infections and 660 deaths.

Meanwhile, Thailand will speed up inoculations of elderly and medically vulnerable people to reduce the number of coronavirus patients in critical condition, senior health official Sopon Mekton said on July 2, as the country reported a third successive day of record deaths.

Health authorities had initially aimed to vaccinate those groups first, but supplies were diverted to factory workers, communities with big outbreaks, and the population of the island of Phuket ahead of this week's reopening to foreign tourists.

Thailand has to vaccinate at least 50 percent of the two groups by the end of July, the official noted.

The two groups combined have a population of 17 million, but only 0.7 percent or 83,000 of over 60s and 3.1 percent of people with health conditions have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine./.

VNA