Laos records 223 new Covid cases raising total to 4,342

VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN): The National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control reported 223 new Covid infections on Friday (July 23), driving up the total number to 4,342.

The positive results were obtained after 1,754 samples were tested for the virus on July 22.

Three of the new cases were transmitted locally, while the remainder were imported.

Two of the community-acquired cases were reported in Champassak and one in Luang Namtha.

Of the imported cases, Vientiane recorded seven new cases, Borikhamxay six, Khammuan one, Savannakhet 117, Saravan 34, and Champassak 55.

A total of 3,140 people entered Laos on Thursday, with 8,121 people now in 49 quarantine centres across the country.

There are currently 1,735 active cases of Covid-19 and five people have died after contracting the virus.

A National Covid-19 Taskforce member said testing is continuing in Vientiane in villages that were previously classified as red zones, with 97 tests carried out in Kaoliao village and 106 in Nakham village.

Neither village recorded any positive test results. - Vientiane Times/Asia News Network