Two countries that had controlled the virus, but now alarming Asia

For more than a year, Laos and Cambodia were among the small group of countries that dodged the first attacks of the coronavirus around the world and their leaders pride themselves on bringing the pandemic under control. For them, there was neither a first nor a second wave. But luck changed in a matter of weeks. Laos saw Monday their biggest leap in Covid-19 cases, and also at the neighbor Cambodia, where the coronavirus had not progressed much in 2020 either, an epidemic that started in February is quickly spiraling out of control.

The surge in cases in both countries has woken up worry even in Vietnam, which continues to perform well during the pandemic, and which has decided to block its border with its neighbors to avoid an overflow throughout the region.

What happened in Laos and Cambodia between the success and the surge in cases? Over the past year, Laos, a country of 7.2 million people, has recorded just over 300 infections and no deaths. “We have succeeded in containing the spread of Covid-19,” boasted Bounkong Syhavong, the health minister of the one-party communist country, at the end of last year.

But on Monday, Rattanaxay Phetsouvanh, an official at the Ministry of Health, admitted to the press that he had examined nearly 2,700 people “and found that 113 were positive for Covid-19, bringing the national total to 436 cases and so far no deaths “.

“The virus is spreading rapidly in the capital and in the province of Champasak in the south”added.

Although the total number is still low, Laos is now the world’s first in accelerating infections, where it takes just three days to multiply the number of cases. Over the past seven days, according to the Washington Post relay, over the past seven days the number of daily cases has increased by 4,625%, and the country leads far in this element in the pandemic.

The government maintains that in Laos, the surge in cases was linked to the New Years holiday period which began last week. Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh has now ordered a two-week quarantine in the capital Vientiane after the infections spike.

He said the order would last at least until May 5 with all international borders closed along provincial borders. Residents of the capital are prohibited from leaving their homes, except for essential tasks.

But the situation in hospitals suggests that the actual numbers are likely higher than what the government is reporting.

“We are adding hospital beds and establishing field hospitals in Vientiane to prepare for the growing number of Covid-19 patients in the near future,” said an official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Added that the number of beds had increased to 300 with a normal capacity of 100.

“Right now there are only 80 beds available,” he said.

Observers in Laos, who declined to be identified because they feared the government, said the evidence suggests that the contagion numbers are actually much higher and the state has not done enough to protect the public from the disease.

“They just sat down and waited for it to go away. Now they are worried the numbers are up and there is not much they can do about it, ”said one resident.

Indeed, Laos has done little to prevent the escalation, vaccination only 1.7% of its population. The government said that to date, some 126,072 people had received their first dose of the vaccine, while 58,000 had also received the second dose.

Laos also suffered a devastating economic blow amid the pandemic. Tourist visits have plummeted and the incomes of Laotian migrant workers working in Thailand have plummeted.

“The economic effects of the epidemic have affected the livelihoods of millions of Laos and pose a serious risk to sustainable poverty reduction,” said Nicola Pontara, World Bank director for Laos.

In the neighbor CambodiaWhere the coronavirus also made little progress in 2020, an outbreak that began in February is quickly spiraling out of control.

In the country of 16.4 million people, 10,555 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed since the start of the pandemic and 82 deaths, but almost all have been since February and with the strain of the United Kingdom, after Two Chinese women broke quarantine after bribing a hotel guard in Phnom Penh.

Last week Cambodia broke its daily record for Covid-19 infections with nearly 700 cases.

Drastic rise in infections prompted Prime Minister Hun Sen to issue a closure of all non-essential businesses until May 5 in the capital Phnom Penh and neighboring Takhmao in Kandal province and demand that the 2.3 million inhabitants of the two cities adhere to a strict curfew or, in some “red zones”, must stay at home except in case emergency.

But the pandemic has hit the country’s economy hard, and residents of the affected red zone districts of Phnom Penh and Takhmao have said have not yet received the food or supplies promised by the government, despite the threat of arrest if they leave their homes and claim to be short of supplies.

Authorities have also threatened to fine anyone who violates the blockade, with fines ranging from $ 250 to nearly $ 5,000 and sentences ranging from six months to five years in prison.

In several videos posted on the networks, the police of the capital are seen using batons and sticks to hunt and beat people who have strayed from their homes in recent days. A video that went viral showed security guards on motorcycles whipping people with bamboo sticks for not wearing chin straps, breaking health rules or breaking a nighttime curfew.

Both in the situation in Laos and Cambodia wake up concern in Vietnam, a country of 96.4 million inhabitants who continues to perform well in the pandemic with 2,852 cases and 35 deaths.

Vietnam shares borders of over 2,100 kilometers with Laos and over 1,100 kilometers with Cambodia, in addition to a total of 19 border economic zones and several dozen international crossing points.

Vietnam has tightened its land borders, preventing illegal entry from both countries. But those entering illegally by boat from Cambodia, who skip coronavirus tests and the mandatory 14-day quarantine, remain a major challenge for that country.

THE NATION