Cambodia lifts ban on all flights from Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines as 144 new Covid-19 cases reported on Saturday (Oct 23)

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 23 (Xinhua): Cambodia on Saturday lifted a ban on all flights from Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines after most of the kingdom's population have been vaccinated against the Covid-19, Health Minister Mam Bunheng said in a press statement.

The decision to lift the ban was made by Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and it took effect immediately, he said.

"It's part of the country's move to reopen social and economic activities gradually in all areas by adapting to the new normal and to reactivate air transport services," Bunheng said.

Cambodia banned all flights from the three Asean member states in August last year to curb the Covid-19.

The ban's removal came after Cambodia had administered at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccines to 13.65 million people, or 85.33 percent of its 16-million population, the Ministry of Health (MoH) said.

Of them, 12.94 million, or 80.8 per cent, have been fully vaccinated with both required shots, and 1.62 million, or 10.1 per cent, have taken a booster dose, it added.

The kingdom reported 144 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday, pushing the national total caseload to 117,644, the MoH said, adding that 10 more fatalities have been recorded, bringing the overall death toll to 2,725. - Xinhua