Laos imposes lockdown on Vientiane amid increasing COVID-19 cases
Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh has ordered a lockdown on the capital of Vientiane since 6am on April 22 in the wake of increasing COVID-19 cases.
Vehicles pass through Patuxay Monument in Vientiane (Illustrative photo: AFP/VNA)
Vientiane (VNA) – Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh has ordered alockdown on the capital of Vientiane since 6am on April 22 in the wake of increasingCOVID-19 cases.
Thelockdown will be in place until May 6. Travel from Vientiane to other provincesand from other provinces to the capital is prohibited, except for permanentresidents of the capital who are returning home from provinces, driverstransporting goods, and other authorised individuals.
Residents of Vientiane are prohibited from leavingtheir houses except for essential tasks and buying necessities. Government agenciesand companies in Vientiane are requested to reduce the number of employees workingat their offices to ensure social distancing.
Gatherings may not exceed 20 people, whilenon-essential services are ordered to close. Laos will set up testing stationsand continue contact tracing in Vientiane as well as vaccinations forprioritised people.
The decision was made after Laos recorded 26 new casesin the community in the past 24 hours across Vientiane’s districts, in additionto two imported ones in Champasak which were quarantined after arrival.
It was also the first time that the country has seendouble-digit number of new cases since the pandemic broke out.
Laos has logged 88 COVID-19 infections so far, withzero fatalities./.
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Vehicles pass through Patuxay Monument in Vientiane (Illustrative photo: AFP/VNA) 
