Locals enjoying the Laos New Year festivities Luang Prabang city. - Laotian Times
VIENTIANE, April 26: Daily Covid infections in Laos have not seen a major increase following the Lao New Year holiday, according to health officials, reports Laotian Times.
The National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control reported in an announcement on Monday (April 25) that the Covid-19 situation had not been dramatically affected by new year celebrations.
Dr. Phonepaseuth Xayamoungkhoun, Deputy Director of the Department of Communicable Disease Control, noted that daily infection rates had dropped in neighboring countries as well as Laos, with many countries easing Covid-19 restrictions and measures in light of downward trends.
Since Lao New Year, daily cases of Covid-19 in Laos have dropped to less than 500 cases per day across the country, with a low number of deaths.
Dr. Phonepaseuth said that residents had built up immunity against the Coronavirus and its variants through vaccination efforts as well as natural immunity among those who had been infected with the virus and recovered.
Meanwhile, first dose vaccinations have now reached 78.53% of the eligible population, with second dose vaccinations reaching 64.41%.
The Taskforce had previously warned of a potential surge in Covid cases following the Lao New Year celebrations, recommending that residents test themselves for Covid-19 infections with rapid antigen tests or RT-PCR tests.
Luang Prabang City was particularly crowded during the national holiday, with groups of young people pouring into the streets to mark the new year.
