Hanoi (VNA) – The Philippine Government has extendedcoronavirus restrictions in several regions while some provinces in Laos haveput lockdown on certain districts in the face of community transmission of COVID-19.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on August 28extended the second-highest level of quarantine curbs in the Manila capitalregion until September 7, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in astatement.

Althoughsome businesses can operate at up to 50 percent of on-site capacity, restaurantdine-in, personal care services, and religious activities are still prohibitedin the capital region, which is the country's coronavirus epicenter with athird of the total confirmed infections and a quarter of the total deaths.

Nine provinces and six cities facinga surge in cases were also placed under the second-tightest coronavirus curbs.

The Philippines’Department of Health reported 19,441 new COVID-19 cases on August 28, a record-highfor the third time in the past nine days. Total confirmed cases have risen tomore than 1.93 million, while deaths have reached 33,008, after 167 morefatalities were recorded.

The country’s government is pinningits hopes for an economic recovery on its inoculation programme, which startedin March.

The Philippines has so far secured a total of 194.89million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, enough to inoculate about 100.5 millionFilipinos or more than 100 percent of its adult population. About 49 million doses have arrived in the country, while 42 million more are expected to be delivered within the next one month. 

In Laos, the Ministry of Health on August29 announced 195 new infections recorded in 24 hours, including 97 importedcases quarantined upon their arrival.

The new cases were seen in 12 provincial-levellocalities. Savannakhet province still postedthe highest number of community transmissions, 57, followed by Bokeo provincewith 15 cases.

The ministry said Vientiane capital citylogged 12 domestic infections in one day, leading to a rebound in the number of“red zones”.

Meanwhile, theadministrations of Oudomxay and Salavan provinces have decided to put lockdownon some districts after recording virus community transmissions.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Laos currently stands at 14,661,including 12 fatalities./.