Two new cases of Covid-19 bring total to 60

Two more cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed as the 59th and 60th cases, the National Taskforce Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control has reported.
Deputy Minister of Health, Associate Prof. Dr Phouthone Muongpak, announced the new cases at a press conference on Tuesday.
The new infections were reported as border patrols are being stepped up to prevent people entering Laos illegally and avoiding screening for the virus.
The 59th person to contract the virus is a 25-year-old woman from Phonsavang village in Chanthabouly district, Vientiane.
 

On April 6, she and a friend met two Thai men in Savannakhet who entered Laos illegally by boat, crossing the Mekong River from Thailand to Savannakhet province. They stayed at the Phaimai Hotel 2 and visited a karaoke bar nearby.
At 8:30pm all three boarded a bus from Savannakhet to Vientiane and the following day went to a karaoke club in Hongkaikeo village, Chanthaboury district. That night they stayed at the Cheuang Hotel 2 in Sibouheuang village.
 On April 12, they visited a massage parlour in Nongbone village, Xaysettha district, and returned to their hotel.
On April 19, one of the women developed flu-like symptoms with a mild headache and muscle pain so she went to Mittaphab Hospital where she tested positive for Covid-19.
Contact tracing revealed 19 people who had come into close contact with the woman, who have since been isolated and tested for the virus.
The 60th person to contract the virus is a woman from Nason village in Naxaithong district, Vientiane, who visited Thailand from April 7–19 for beauty treatment.
While in Bangkok from April 7-10, the woman developed flu-like symptoms.
On April 18, she travelled from Bangkok to Nong Khai province and illegally crossed the border into Vientiane.
On April 20, she tested positive for Covid-19. Contact tracing revealed four people who had come into close contact with her and have now been isolated and tested for Covid-19.
Health officials are contacting the places and hotels where the women visited and stayed in an attempt to track transmission and prevent an outbreak.
“We have teams in the provinces who are collecting detailed information about the women’s movements and contacts,” Dr Phouthone said.
Deputy Director General of the Department of Communicable Disease Control, under the Ministry of Health, Dr Lasmy Vongkhamsao, said border patrols are to be increased to prevent people entering Laos illegally.
The surge in infections raises the likelihood of an outbreak of the virus in Laos as the number of cases increases in neighbouring countries.
Eleven people are currently in hospitals around the country after testing positive for Covid-19 but no deaths from the virus have been reported.
Meanwhile, standards at quarantine centres will be improved along with testing among suspect and at-risk groups.

By Phetphoxay Sengpaseuth
(Latest Update April 21, 2021)