Hundreds of cars and motos attempt to cross closed Chroy Changva Bridge. (Photo: khmertimeskh.com) Hanoi (VNA) - Despite the widelypublicised lockdown now in effect in Phnom Penh and Takhmao city of Cambodia,hundreds of cars and motorbikes are attempting to cross the closed ChroyChangva Bridge – also known as the Cambodian-Japanese Friendship Bridge – onApril 15 morning.
Many people have tried to cross the bridge, claimingto have reasons that allow them to travel during the lockdown.
Police and authorities are currently attempting toprocess traffic and verify their claims.
Phnom Penh has been placed under a lockdown for thefirst time since the emergence of COVID-19 cases in the country at the end oflast year. During the two-week period, non-essential travel will also berestricted.
According to an official announcement of theCambodian government, the lockdown, starting from April 15, aims to prevent thespread of the novel coronavirus in the community.
In Takeo province that borders Vietnam’s An Giangprovince, anyone who violates relevant regulations will be fined from 1-2million riel (250-500 USD).
Meanwhile, residents in Svay Rieng provincebordering Vietnam’s Tay Ninh province have been forced to wear face masks andput under social distancing following the detection of new community cases inthe locality.
The Cambodian Ministry of Health announced that thecountry recorded 177 new COVID-19 infections and a fatality on April 14.
The country has to date logged 4,874 COVID-19 casesin total, including 36 deaths.
Meanwhile, seven districts in Kelantan, Malaysiawill be placed under the movement control order (MCO) beginning April 16 afterthe number of COVID-19 cases in the state saw a spike.
Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob saidthe districts include Kota Baru, Pasir Mas, Pasir Puteh, Bachok, Machang,Tumpat, and Tanah Merah.
The MCO will come into force on April 16 until April29, per the advice of the Malaysian Health Ministry following its riskassessment, he said in a statement.
The ministry confirmed an increase of approximately30.5 percent in infections in the past 14 days, from 756 to 1,088 cases per day,with all seven districts classified as red zones.
Ismail added that nine new clusters have also beenreported in the past fortnight, with a high infectivity rate.
Malaysia's new COVID-19 cases climbed to 1,889 from1,767 reported on April 13 — the highest number of new infections recordedsince March 6./.
VNA
