Laos is now the only remaining ASEAN nation yet to report a confirmed case of Covid-19 infection following Myanmar’s announcement of two cases.
As the global pandemic continues, Laos is now the sole member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to have reported zero confirmed cases of the new Coronavirus, or Covid-19.
Myanmar, which drew much speculation for its conspicuous lack of cases, has now confirmed its first two cases of the coronavirus.
According to a statement by the Myanmar Ministry of Health and Sports (MOHS), two Myanmar men tested positive for Covid-19 in the country: a 26-year old Myanmar citizen returning from the UK, and a 36-year-old US green card holder who returned from the US.
Laos is also now one of the only countries in the world that have not reported a confirmed case of Covid-19.
Laos is said to have tested only 119 patients so far, and experts agree that the virus has likely penetrated its borders, and simply remains undetected.
However, the government of Laos has received praise for enacting measures despite a lack of confirmed cases, closing schools and entertainment venues, shuttering borders, and placing the country in de facto lockdown.
Thousands of Lao laborers working in Thailand swamped border checkpoints yesterday, hoping to return home before borders officially close.
Traditional and customary borders have already been closed nationwide to ensure the return of labor via official channels.
