Cambodia bans frozen meat imports from India over Covid-19

Garment workers receive food assistance in Phnom Penh’s Meanchey district amid the ongoing lockdown. - Phnom Penh Post/ANN

PHNOM PENH, May 2 (Xinhua): Cambodia has imposed a ban on the imports of frozen meat and meat products from India in further efforts to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the South-East Asian country, said Kun Nhim, director-general of Cambodia's General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE).

The ban took effect immediately and until further notice, he said in a statement, adding that the temporary suspension came after India reported a sharp spike in Covid-19 cases.

Nhim also advised customs officials to spray disinfectant on transport vehicles and the outer packaging of other products that have been sourced from India.

Earlier this week, the Southeast Asian country also banned travelers from India in order to prevent the spread of the more infectious Covid-19 virus variant, B1617.

India is suffering from a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases. India on Saturday logged 401,993 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking its total tally to 19,164,969 with 211,853 deaths.

Cases in Cambodia are also rising especially in the capital Phnom Penh.

Cambodia reported a daily record of 730 new coronavirus cases, the health ministry said in a statement on Sunday, as the country struggles to contain a wave of infections that emerged about two months ago.

The South-East Asian nation has recorded one of the world's smallest Covid-19 caseloads, but the recent outbreak that was first detected in late February has caused infections to climb to 14,520, with 103 deaths.

"Covid 19 continues to threaten us. Please continue to be vigilant by practicing hygiene, keep social distancing and don't leave your house as it is spreading severely in the community in our country, our neighbours and the world," Cambodia's Communicable Disease Control Department said in a statement posted on Facebook on Sunday.

The capital Phnom Penh, which has the most Covid-19 cases in the country, is under lockdown until May 5 and has declared some districts "red zones", banning people from leaving their homes except for medical reasons.