Extends harsh restrictions to combat Delta variant

Extends harsh restrictions to combat Delta variant

Harsh restrictions have been extended in Cambodian capital Phnom Penh in a further bid to curb the spread of Covid-19, particularly the Delta variant which is ravaging neighboring countries where pandemic cases continue to hit record highs.

Phnom Penh municipal administration ordered a 14-day extension until Sept. 9 for high-risk occupational and business activities including nightclubs, beer gardens and casinos, resorts, museums, sports clubs, cinemas, playgrounds and amusement parks.

A ban on alcohol sales has also been extended for two weeks. A decision on whether to continue restricting private gatherings will be made within the next two days.

To date Cambodia has recorded 90,535 Covid-19 cases, of which 1,325 have been detected with the Delta variant. The pandemic has so far claimed 1,835 lives with 86,702 recoveries.

Daily caseloads have eased to less than 500 a day amid a rapid rollout of the vaccination program, which has been extended to adolescents aged 12-17.

Almost half of Cambodia’s 16.5 million people are now fully vaccinated, but authorities say the number of cases recorded in Cambodia’s rural areas remains at worrying levels.

The provincial city of Stung Treng in the northeast will remain closed until the end of the month.

In the western provincial city of Siem Reap, home to the fabled Angkor Wat complex, a patchwork of restrictions have been put in place in accordance with outbreaks.

“Residents of the blockaded areas are banned from leaving their places of residence except under necessary circumstances such as business or work purposes,” the Khmer Times reported.

“People who need to travel for work purposes are required to obtain a permit from the district administration.”

The provincial city of Stung Treng in the northeast will remain closed until the end of the month, while Kampot, Sihanoukville and Koh Kong in the south are reporting more cases than recoveries. UCA News