COVID-19: Laos sees no new case in community, Indonesia tightens travel restriction

Laos’ Ministry of Health on June 21 reported only one new COVID-19 case in the past 24 hours, an imported patient who has been sent to quarantine right up on arrival.

This is the second day the country sees no new infection in the community since the second wave of COVID-19 hit the country in mid-April.

The country is applying measures to speed up COVID-19 vaccination scheme across the country. So far, more than 1 million people in Laos have received at least one vaccine shot, including 260,000 in Vientiane.

Lao authorities expect that 80 percent of population in the capital city will be injected with COVID-19 vaccine this year, thus reducing the risk of an outbreak in the country’s largest economic hub.

To date, Laos has confirmed 2,054 COVID-19 cases, including 1,948 recoveries and three deaths.

Meanwhile, Indonesia has announced that the country will tighten travel restrict measures in some areas in two weeks starting from June 22 in a bid to prevent COVID-19 spreading.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said that the measures include reducing the number of people working in offices and banning religious activities in worshiping facilities. The curbs will apply to "red zones" where infections have been rising more quickly, he added.

Indonesia reported 13,737 new coronavirus infections on June 20, the highest daily number of cases since January 30, with deaths from the disease also rising. Indonesia has recorded a total of 1.99 million coronavirus cases and more than 54,600 fatalities./.

VNA