PHNOM PENH, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Ministry of Health (MoH) said on Tuesday that more than 1,100 people, who came in direct and indirect contact with infected Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto, tested negative for the COVID-19 for the second time.
However, they are advised to continue their 14-day self-quarantine at home, pending more tests to ensure that they are free of the virus, the MoH said in a statement.
To date, four people, who came in contact with Szijjarto, had tested positive for the virus, the statement said, adding that they included three Cambodians and one Hungarian.
The mass testing came after Szijjarto, who visited Cambodia on Nov. 3, was declared positive for COVID-19 on Nov. 4 upon his arrival in Thailand on his Asian tour.
Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, who has been in a 14-day self-quarantine at home after meeting with Szijjarto, on Monday urged all people involved to undergo a self-quarantine at home strictly in order to curb the virus from spreading into communities.
"Once again, I'd like to appeal to all officials and people involved to quarantine properly, and even your spouses and children must quarantine at home too because they have had direct contact with all of you already," he said in an audio message released to the public.
He also called on the public not to panic, saying that the situation has been well controlled.
Cambodia has so far recorded a total of 300 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 288 patients cured and 12 hospitalized, the MoH said. Enditem
