PHNOM PENH, March 7 (Xinhua): The National Assembly of Cambodia has approved a draft Law on Measures to Prevent the Spread of Covid-19 and other Highly Contagious Diseases, which clearly stated financial penalties and prison sentences for violators.
Eighty-three lawmakers, who were present at the parliamentary session, unanimously passed the bill that consisted of six chapters and 18 articles.
Senior lawmaker Lork Kheng said under the law, quarantine escapees, who lead to the spread of Covid-19 to others, will be punishable by six months to three years in prison and a fine of US$2,500.
A Covid-19 patient fleeing treatment or a Ministry of Health-designated treatment facility will be imprisoned from one to five years and a fine of 5,000 U.S. dollars, Kheng said, adding that the jail term will be increased to 10 years if the act leads to the spread of Covid-19 to others.
"Someone intentionally spreads the Covid-19 to others will be punishable by imprisonment from five to 10 years, and the prison sentences will be raised from 10 to 20 years if the act is organized by a group or a syndicate," she said.
Kheng added that the acts of deliberately disregarding administrative measures stated in the law or obstructing the enforcement of the measures will be punishable by imprisonment from six months to three years.
Health Minister Mam Bunheng said the draft law was designed to combat the Covid-19 and to help minimise the impact of the pandemic on social and economic sectors in Cambodia.
"This law, when it enters into force, will become a solid legal basis for the government to put forward measures-both health and administrative measures as well as other measures-to protect people's lives and public health," he said after the parliament passed the draft bill.
The bill will need to be finally reviewed by the Senate before being submitted to King Norodom Sihamoni for promulgation.
It was made as the country has been enduring the third community Covid-19 outbreak since Feb 20.
Cambodia on Saturday reported 21 more local Covid-19 cases, raising the total number of infected people linked to the third community transmission to 446, said a Ministry of Health (MoH) statement.
The new cases were detected in capital Phnom Penh and southwestern Preah Sihanouk province, the statement said, adding that they were all related to the third community outbreak on Feb 20.
The patients are currently undergoing treatment at various designated Covid-19 hospitals, it said.
In a bid to stem the outbreak, schools, gyms and entertainment venues as well as dozens of businesses have been temporarily closed. Authorities on Thursday also restricted travel to and from Preah Sihanouk province.
Cambodia began an anti-Covid-19 inoculation drive on Feb. 10. According to an official data, as of Friday, some 153,718 people in the priority groups had been vaccinated against the virus.
The South-East Asian nation has so far recorded a total of 953 confirmed Covid-19 cases, with zero deaths and 491 recoveries, the MoH said. - Xinhua
