Govt to assists families hit by Covid-19 as daily cases hit all-time high record in Cambodia

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. - Phnom Penh Post/ANN

PHNOM PENH, April 10 (Phnom Penh Post/ANN): The government will cover utility bills for families whose member died to Covid-19 positive with the disease and those under quarantine. This support only applies for all cases linked to the February community event.

“I issue this intervention to help the families who have their member deceased from the Covid-19. The government will pay on their behalf on water and electricity use for five months. For the family with member tested positive, the state will pay for them for three months, effective from the date when the authority confirm the case,” Hun Sen said.

Prime Minister Hun Sen announced these support today during his national address to the nation after the covid-19 cases spiked in the last two days which prompted authorities to lock down some parts in the capital.

He said currently, the government provides 100kg of rice and 10 million riel for each family who lost their member.

For the families who are under quarantine in the lockdown area, they also receive the government intervention with 300,000 riel, two month payment for water and electricity use, 25 kilograms rice, 20 canned fish, and a case of instant noodle.

The family nearby the lockdown areas will also receive 300,000 riel, and two month water and electricity free use. But he urged the better-off family to reject the government support in order for it to be turned to other poor families.

On Friday (Aptil 9), Cambodia recorded 576 new local cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, the highest-ever since the virus hit the kingdom in January last year, a Ministry of Health (MoH) statement said.

The figure surpassed the previous highest daily record of 179 cases on March 26.

Of the new cases, 544 were found in capital Phnom Penh, 16 in Svay Rieng province, 12 in Preah Sihanouk province, two in Siem Reap province and one each in Kandal and Kampong Cham provinces, the statement said.

The MoH's secretary of state and spokeswoman Or Vandine on Friday called on the people to stay at home during the upcoming Khmer New Year holiday from April 14-16 in order to help curb the virus spread.

"We are facing 'very high' risk of a large-scale community transmission that can disrupt socio-economic development and affect public health for a long term," she said in a message to the media.

Cambodia has been enduring the third wave of community outbreak of Covid-19 since Feb. 20. In a bid to stem the virus, the kingdom has closed down all schools, sports facilities, museums, cinemas and entertainment venues across the country. The govt also imposed a night curfew in capital Phnom Penh for two weeks from April 1 to 14 and banned inter-provincial travel for 14 days from April 7 to 20.

Cambodia has registered a total of 3,604 confirmed Covid-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, with 24 deaths and 1,984 recoveries, the MoH said. - Phnom Penh Post/ANN