PHNOM PENH, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Ministry of Health (MoH) said on Tuesday that any violators of the COVID-19 quarantine rules will be facing a fine of up to 250 U.S. dollars.
The move came after more than 1,100 people have been required to self-isolate at home for 14 days after they have had direct and indirect contact with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto, who visited Cambodia on Nov. 3 and tested positive for the COVID-19 on Nov. 4 upon his arrival in Thailand on his Asia tour.
"Any individuals who do not abide by the MoH's quarantine rules will be fined from 200,000 riels (50 U.S. dollars) to 1 million riels (250 U.S. dollars) and punished in accordance to the Criminal Law," the MoH said in a statement.
The people must self-isolate at home or quarantine centers for 14 days and during the period, they are banned from leaving their houses or quarantine centers, the statement said, adding that they must stay in a separate room with adequate air circulation, use a separate bathroom or toilet, practice good hygiene, and eat separately from family members.
"They must wear a face mask all the time and keep social distancing of at least 1.5 meters from other family members," the statement said.
"They have to check their body temperature every day in the morning and in the evening, and if their temperature is over 37.5 degrees Celsius, or having the symptoms of cough, sore throat and breathing difficulty, they should hurry up to call the 115 hotline."
According to the statement, those who test negative for the virus on the 13th day of their quarantine will be allowed to end their self-isolation.
The MoH said on Tuesday that four out of the 1,143 people under quarantine had tested positive for the virus, and those with the negative results will be tested for two more times to make sure that they are free of the virus.
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.
"Local authorities must watch them closely. If they cannot self-quarantine at home properly, please invite them to quarantine at the quarantine centers arranged by the Ministry of Health and guarded by the police and military police," Hun Sen said. "We should not be careless and spread the virus to others."
Cambodia has so far recorded a total of 300 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 288 patients cured and 12 hospitalized, the MoH said. Enditem
