PHNOM PENH, March 16 (Reuters): Cambodia reported a daily record 105 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, as a rare outbreak spread further and authorities urged people not to travel between regions amid a sharp rise in infections.
Although Cambodia has recorded among the fewest number of confirmed cases in Asia, its 1,430 infections are nearly triple the number of a month ago, when its latest outbreak was first detected.
More than half of the new cases reported on Tuesday were in one district of Kandal province, which borders Vietnam, the ministry said in a statement.
The health ministry has been urging people not to travel between provinces and cities and a law has been passed that carries long jail terms for serious violations of health measures.
The law, which came into effect on March 11, lists punishments of three years in jail for breaking self-quarantine and 10 years in prison for leaving treatment facilities while infected, or intentionally spreading Covid-19.
Human Rights Watch has said the bill contains overly broad and vague provisions that authorities could easily abuse.
The Southeast Asian nation of about 16 million people has until recently been successful in keeping coronavirus outbreaks under control and reported its first death from COVID-19 last week.
Cambodia started its vaccination programme last month.
Meanwhile, the Phnom Penh Post reported that the number of citizens wearing masks in public has increased markedly following the government’s passage into law of a sub-decree on health measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 that spells out fines and punishments for those who fail to heed the instructions issued by the Ministry of Health.
On March 12 the government issued a new sub-decree on health measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and other contagious diseases.
Comprising nine chapters and 39 articles, the sub-decree states a number of new restrictions and penalties and gives the health ministry broad discretion to determine the behaviours required for the maintenance of public health.
Article 19 of the sub-decree states that individuals who fail to wear masks in essential places – as determined by the health ministry – will be fined between 200,000 and one million riel, after being given one warning.
The term “essential places” has thus far popularly been interpreted as meaning any and all public places. - Agencies
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