Kuala Lumpur (VNA) - Malaysia is to issue a smartvaccination certificate to people in the country who have been vaccinatedagainst COVID-19, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.

He said the certificate will be issued in a month’s time andthat the matter is being discussed with the World Health Organisation (WHO) toensure that the document is also recognised by other countries.

Malaysia launched the first phase of the National COVID-19Immunisation Programme from February 24 on prioritised groups. The second phaseis scheduled for April.

On March3, Malaysia reported 1.745 new COVID-19 infections,raising the total cases to 305,880, with 1,148 deaths. 

On the same day, the Philippines reported 1,783 new infections, bringing the total count to 582,223. The Philippines’ Department of Health (DOH)reported that death toll has increased to 12,389, while the number ofrecoveries has been 534,778. The DOH earlier confirmed that the country found sixpatients infected with new variants of SARS CoV-2 that was first detected inSouth Africa, along with 87 cases positive to the variants originated in theUK.
         
Also on March 3, Director General of the Department ofCommunicable Diseases Control under the Lao Ministry ofHealth Phonepaserd Sayamoungkhoun said that there are 2,212 peopleundertaking quarantine in concentrated sites across the country.

So Far, Laos has detected 45 COVID-19 cases, including 42recoveries.

Meanwhile, Thailand is considering measures to prevent the spreading ofCOVID-19 during the upcoming traditional Songkran festival amid the fallingnumber of infections.

Culture Minister Itthiphol Kunplome said on March 3 that hisministry supported the return of traditional and cultural activities that werepart of the festival before the pandemic struck.

However, there must be strict disease control measures inplace, including social distancing and limits on the number of people at venueswhere activities are planned, he said.

Songkran activities will help stimulate tourism and theeconomy, now that COVID-19 vaccines were available, he said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said thegovernment was considering what measures would need to be applied for thefestival, to prevent Covid-19 from spreading again. Songkran is fromApril 13-15 this year.

As of March 3, Thailand had reported♒ 26,108 COVID-19infections with 84 deaths./.