VIENTIANE, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Lao government has instructed local authorities to carefully monitor people entering Laos and quarantine returning workers to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Deputy Director General of the Department of Communicable Diseases Control under the Lao Ministry of Health, Phonepaserd Sayamoungkhoun, told a press conference on Tuesday that local authorities must closely monitor borders to prevent the illegal entry of Lao laborers returning from neighboring countries, in a bid to avoid a second wave of COVID-19.
People entering Laos, especially returning workers, will be sent to quarantine centers for 14 days to prevent people from bringing the virus to the country.
All people at quarantine centers must have their temperature checked every day.
On Monday, a total of 2,600 people entered Laos through international border checkpoints. Of these, 1,281 people crossed the border with Thailand.
A total of 41 people entered Laos from China, while 1,119 people entered Laos from Vietnam, and 159 people entered Laos via the Wattay International Airport in the Lao capital Vientiane.
At all border crossings, the temperature of each person entering Laos was checked and no one showed signs of fever.
The National Taskforce Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control said it was monitoring 2,588 people at 33 accommodation centers across the country.
As of Tuesday, Laos has tested 104,212 suspected cases with 44 cases testing positive, and 41 patients have recovered.
Laos detected its first two COVID-19 cases on March 24 last year. Enditem
