Lao authorities have announced that two new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in Vientiane Capital, bringing the total number of cases to 14.
The two latest cases are in connection with the 11th and 12th cases, involving a foreign national from Papua New Guinea, and the case of a student returning from study in the UK.
Case 13
Case 13 is a 40-year-old man working at Phu Bia Mining Limited residing in Don Koy Village in Vientiane’s Sisattanak District.
The man had been working closely with the man confirmed as the 11th case from 30 to 31 March and began to exhibit symptoms on 1 April.
On 2 April he left the mine site in Xaysomboun Province and returned to his home in Vientiane to stay with his wife and two children.
From 3 to 4 April the man began working from home and had contact with his mother, sister, brother-in-law, and two neighbors.
On 5 April he received the news that his coworker had been confirmed as the 11th case of Covid-19 in Laos, and promptly visited Mittaphab “150 Bed” Hospital for testing, where he tested positive for the virus.
The man is thought to have had contact with at least 18 individuals following his infection.
Case 14
Case 14 is a 19-year-old student from Sang Khou Village in Vientiane’s Xaythany District, who had returned from study at Bellerbys College, London, in the United Kingdom.
The woman returned to Laos from the UK on Thai Airlines flight TG 574 (but on different dates), arriving at Wattay Airport in Vientiane, the same flight as Cases 11 and 12.
From 23 March to 5 April she self-isolated at her home, maintaining distance from her immediate family members.
Despite not exhibiting symptoms, on 5 April, after hearing the news of her friend, Case 12, she went for testing at Mittaphab Hospital on 6 April.
After testing positive, she has been kept in the isolated wing at the hospital.
More Cases Expected
Following the news that two patients tested positive for the viral infection after returning to Laos on 23 March on Thai Airlines flight TG 574, authorities began to contact and monitor the full list of passengers.
A further 70 persons are expected to be tested that have had contact with the latest cases.
765 people have been tested so far in Laos, with a total of 14 testing positive for the Covid-19 virus.
Read the full report (in Lao language) from the National Taskforce Committee here.
A transcript of the interview about the health status of the patients in Vientiane can be found here.
