Cambodia launches educational campaign against Covid-19

A boy grimaces in pain as health workers wearing protective suits collect his blood sample at a makeshift rapid testing centre in Hanoi on August 1, 2020, as Vietnam records a rise in cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus. - Vietnam recorded its first coronavirus death on July 31, state media reported, as the pandemic rebounds in a country previously been praised for stubbing out the contagion. (Photo by Manan VATSYAYANA / AFP) (Photo by MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP via Getty Images)

PHNOM PENH, March 22 (Xinhua): Cambodia on Tuesday launched an educational campaign across the country to raise awareness of health protection and vaccination against the Covid-19 pandemic.

The campaign kicked off under the theme "The highly contagious Covid-19 Omicron variant puts you and your family at risk".

In a statement marking the launching event, Health Minister Mam Bunheng urged people to continue complying with relevant guidelines and to go for free vaccines, both the basic two doses and the booster shots, when their turns come.

The guidelines include wearing a face mask, washing hands frequently and maintaining the physical distancing of 1.5 meters, while avoiding confined and enclosed spaces, avoiding crowded spaces, and avoiding touching each other.

He advised local authorities to use all means including TVs, radios, social media, mobile loudspeakers, banners and leaflets to spread the awareness of Covid-19 prevention and vaccination to the people.

"People are encouraged to report immediately to the competent authorities if there is an outbreak of Covid-19 or other infectious diseases in their community so that our health authorities will be able to take swift action to minimize its impact on the society," Bunheng said.

Cambodia reported a daily record of 73 cases, all were confirmed to be the Omicron variant, with no new deaths on Tuesday, raising the national total caseload to 135,158, with 131,110 recoveries and 3,052 deaths, the health ministry said.

The kingdom has so far administered one dose of Covid-19 vaccines to 14.78 million people, or 92.4 percent of its 16 million population, the ministry said.

In addition, 13.9 million, or 86.8 percent, have been fully vaccinated with two required shots, and 7.8 million, or 48.7 percent, have taken a third dose or booster shot, and nearly 1.13 million, or 7 percent, have got a fourth dose, it added.

Most of the jabs used in the Southeast Asian nation's immunization program are China's Sinovac and Sinopharm. - Xinhua