PHNOM PENH, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia has adopted a series of stricter measures this week to contain the spread of COVID-19, as the number of confirmed infections has climbed to 37.
The latest move was a temporary closure of borders with Vietnam.
"Entry by Vietnamese nationals into Cambodia and Cambodian nationals into Vietnam by land, waterway and air will be temporarily suspended, effective from 23:59 of 20 March 2020," said a Cambodian foreign ministry's letter released on Thursday.
The above measure does not apply to Vietnamese and Cambodian holders of diplomatic and official passports, the letter said.
The Southeast Asian country on Wednesday established a national committee to combat the virus. Led by Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, the committee comprises key officials from various ministries, the army, the national police, the national military police, and governors of all cities and provinces across the kingdom.
Earlier this week, the country decided to ban foreigners from Italy, Germany, Spain, France and the United States from entering the country for 30 days, while Hun Sen advised citizens not to travel to Europe, the United States, and Iran if not necessary.
"For civil servants and Cambodian people who have just returned to Cambodia from Europe, the United States and Iran, they must self-isolate for 14 days from the day of their arrivals," he said in a directive.
Also, the country has ordered the closures of all schools, karaoke clubs, night clubs, cinemas, and museums nationwide, as religious gatherings and concerts at public areas have also been banned.
Minister of Health Mam Bunheng said in a statement on Tuesday that the government also decided to turn the building of bankrupt Great Duke Hotel and the former location of Chak Angre Health Centre into facilities to treat COVID-19 patients.
Besides the two facilities, he said the ministry has already prepared wards for caring and treating the patients at the Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital, the National Pediatric Hospital, the Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital in Phnom Penh, the Jayavarman VII Children's Hospital in Siem Reap province, and the provincial referral hospitals in all 24 provinces.
"The Ministry of Health has already prepared medical equipment and supplies, resources, and means to eventually respond to the pandemic of this virus in Cambodia," Bunheng said.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Ministry of Health secretary of state and spokeswoman Or Vandine said the ministry is considering urging suspected COVID-19 patients to self-isolate to prevent possible virus infections among family members.
"A patient who does not know he or she has the virus can infect family members," she said. "We are thinking about urging potential patients to self-isolate. This is the measure needed to prevent infection among family members."
According to a Ministry of Health's statement released late on Wednesday, the kingdom recorded a total of 37 confirmed cases of the COVID-19, and all, except one, were imported cases.
Khek Norinda, communication and public relations director for the Cambodia Airports, which operates the country's international airports in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, said new measures have been introduced to ensure health safety for all travelers and staff.
"Facing the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, our top priority is the health safety of our customers, partners, and staff," he told Xinhua on Thursday.
He said the airports have ramped up cleanings, especially the most often touched elements by passengers such as door handles, handrails, toilets, and check-in counters, with alcohol.
The airports have also provided hand sanitizers at various locations at terminals and cooperated with the health authorities to disinfect the terminals, he added.
Norinda said the airports have also provided information on sites and through digital platforms in three languages: Khmer, English and Chinese to the travelers.
Moreover, he said the health authorities constantly conduct temperature checks by thermo-scan cameras for passengers at arrivals, as certain airlines perform the temperature screening at departures.
