Cambodia to end coronavirus lockdown in capital

JAKARTA, Indonesia

Cambodia will lift a coronavirus lockdown in the capital and a neighboring city from Thursday, the country’s premier announced on Monday.

Phnom Penh and Takhmao were placed under lockdown on April 15 amid a rise in COVID-19 cases.

“The royal government has issued a decision to end the lockdown starting May 6, 2021, replacing it with new measures aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19,” Prime Minister Hun Sen said in an address.

He said there was no longer a need for the capital to be completely closed off and the government will focus on implementing lockdowns in areas where infections have surged.

“We can close smaller areas where there is a high risk of infections,” he added.

Cambodia, a country that once had one of the lowest rates of coronavirus infections in the world, is now in the grip of a worrying virus surge.

The total caseload has jumped from around 500 at the end of February to more than 16,000, with the death toll also having crossed 100.

The Southeast Asian nation reported another 938 virus cases on Tuesday, raising the overall count to 16,299, including 106 fatalities and 10,394 recoveries.

* Writing by Rhany Chairunissa Rufinaldo with Anadolu Agency's Indonesian language services in Jakarta