Vientiane (VNA) – Laos has decided to extend a nationwidelockdown order for an additional 15 days in a bid to prevent the spread ofCOVID-19 amid the complicated developments of the pandemic in many localities.

The order, imposed on June 4, is set to expire on June19 and now it will be prolonged to July 4.

However, the gradual easing of lockdown withcertain strict measures to remain in place.

According to the Ministry of Health, the country recorded three new COVID-19 cases, including twodomestically-transmitted cases in Vientiane and one imported case, raising thenational count to 2,050.
         
Meanwhile, Cambodia confirmed 20 more COVID-19 relateddeaths in the past 24 hours, the highest number in one day since the pandemicbroke out in the country.

Cambodia’s Ministry of Health reported seven cases ofthe Delta variant ofthe coronavirus, first found inIndia, among travellers by land from neighbouring Thailand.

The numbers of COVID-19 infections and deaths have risensharply in Cambodia since late February to 42,052 and 414, respectively.

The same day, the Department of Health (DOH) of thePhilippines reported 6,959 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number ofinfections to over 1.35 million. Meanwhile, the DOH also confirmed an additional 153deaths, pushing the country’s death toll to 23,538.

With a population of 110 million, the Philippines has givenCOVID-19 testing to 13 million people since the pandemic hit the country inJanuary 2020./.