VIENTIANE, Sept 11 (Vientiane Times/ANN): More than 100 healthcare workers have contracted Covid-19 despite having received two Covid vaccinations, while dozens have been hospitalised.
Health officials said this raises concerns about the efficacy of some vaccines against more virulent virus strains.
Addressing a media briefing on Wednesday, Deputy Director General of the Department of Communicable Diseases Control under the Ministry of Health, Dr Sisavath Soutthaniraxay, said most of the medical staff who tested positive were asymptomatic and were self-isolating at home.
But several dozen were in hospital with high fevers and declining oxygen saturation levels.
Designated as a priority group, healthcare workers were among the first to be vaccinated when the inoculation drive started in March this year.
Dr Sisavath said that because the Delta variant of Covid is more infectious than the original strain of the virus it was no surprise that the infection rate was rising, especially among healthcare workers who have the closest contact with Covid patients.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), vaccination protects an individual from getting seriously ill and dying from Covid, but does not provide full immunity against the virus.
In Indonesia, hundreds of healthcare workers contracted Covid after being vaccinated, with many being hospitalised. However, they experienced only mild symptoms, local media reported in June 2021.
In Malaysia, 40 healthcare workers became infected after being vaccinated against Covid but also experienced only mild symptoms, the WHO reported in April 2021.
On Friday (Sept 10), the National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control reported 194 new cases of the virus, with 45 recorded in Champassak province.
Out of 4,371 tests, 86 locally-transmitted cases of Covid were identified. Two were reported in Vientiane, one in Vientiane province, six in Bokeo, one in Luang Namtha, 26 in Khammuan, one in Saravan, one in Xaysomboun, four in Savannakhet, and 45 in Champassak.
In addition, 108 imported cases were reported, of which two were in Vientiane, six in Borikhamxay province, 12 in Khammuan province, one in Saravan province, 72 in Savannakhet province, and 15 in Champassak province.
The total number of cases in Laos now stands at 16,936, with 4,093 active cases. Of these, 126 people are medical staff. Sixteen people have died from the virus so far. - Vientiane Times/ANN
Health officials said this raises concerns about the efficacy of some vaccines against more virulent virus strains.
Addressing a media briefing on Wednesday, Deputy Director General of the Department of Communicable Diseases Control under the Ministry of Health, Dr Sisavath Soutthaniraxay, said most of the medical staff who tested positive were asymptomatic and were self-isolating at home.
But several dozen were in hospital with high fevers and declining oxygen saturation levels.
Designated as a priority group, healthcare workers were among the first to be vaccinated when the inoculation drive started in March this year.
Dr Sisavath said that because the Delta variant of Covid is more infectious than the original strain of the virus it was no surprise that the infection rate was rising, especially among healthcare workers who have the closest contact with Covid patients.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), vaccination protects an individual from getting seriously ill and dying from Covid, but does not provide full immunity against the virus.
In Indonesia, hundreds of healthcare workers contracted Covid after being vaccinated, with many being hospitalised. However, they experienced only mild symptoms, local media reported in June 2021.
In Malaysia, 40 healthcare workers became infected after being vaccinated against Covid but also experienced only mild symptoms, the WHO reported in April 2021.
On Friday (Sept 10), the National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control reported 194 new cases of the virus, with 45 recorded in Champassak province.
Out of 4,371 tests, 86 locally-transmitted cases of Covid were identified. Two were reported in Vientiane, one in Vientiane province, six in Bokeo, one in Luang Namtha, 26 in Khammuan, one in Saravan, one in Xaysomboun, four in Savannakhet, and 45 in Champassak.
In addition, 108 imported cases were reported, of which two were in Vientiane, six in Borikhamxay province, 12 in Khammuan province, one in Saravan province, 72 in Savannakhet province, and 15 in Champassak province.
The total number of cases in Laos now stands at 16,936, with 4,093 active cases. Of these, 126 people are medical staff. Sixteen people have died from the virus so far. - Vientiane Times/ANN
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