Laos confirms third Covid-19 case

Laos has confirmed another Covid-19 case, bringing the total number of dangerous infections nationwide to three.
At a media conference at the Ministry of Health in Vientiane on Wednesday, the National Taskforce Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control officially announced that it detected the third case in the country.

According to the announcement, the committee tested eight suspected Covid-19 cases on Tuesday; of the total, only one tested positive while the rest were negative. The latest case involves a 26-year-old businessman from Huayhom village, Sikhottabong district in Vientiane.
On Tuesday, the committee confirmed the first two cases, affecting a hotel worker and a tour guide. The third infection is related to the previous hotel worker case in Vientiane. The two people had dined together, according to the media statement from the committee.
At present, the National Taskforce Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control is investigating who else came in contact with the three confirmed cases so that authorities can test them and identify other at-risk people and impose measures to prevent the spread of the disease.
Authorities are using public announcements get in touch with the Covid-19 infected people and speeding up the identification of those at risk.
Officials are urging them to identify themselves and to implement self-isolation. During the media conference, the committee provided some travel details of the first two cases.
For the hotel worker case, on March 4, he travelled to Bangkok on flight number TG 2570 and stayed with his team members at the Holiday Inn Express Siam.
On March 5, he took part in an exhibition in Bangna, Bangkok, Thailand which 10,000 people attended.
On March 6-8, he moved to another hotel. He returned to Laos on March 9. Upon his arrival in Vientiane, he felt sick with a cough. On March 10, he went to Mittaphab Hospital where he was advised to self-monitor. From March 11-13, he returned to work, working with 12 people in the same room. 
On March 12, he had body aches but refused to get tested as he believed the pains were the result of his travel. On March 14 to 15, he went to the Souvanny shop and dined with friends there. From March 17 to 20, he travelled to several places around Vientiane. On March 23, he felt sick with a cough, headache, muscle pain, sore throat and had difficulty breathing. For the tour guide case, from March 7 to 10, she took a group of guests to Vangvieng and Luang Prabang.
From March 12 to 20, she took guests to Luang Prabang and Oudomxay and Vangvieng.  On March 21, she stayed in a Vientiane hotel before feeling sick on March 22. She got tested on March 23.

By Ekaphone Phouthonesy
(Latest Update March 26, 2020)