Washington [US], December 23: Governments in Southeast Asia are stepping up response efforts as the number of Covid-19 infections increases again and more foreign tourists flock to the region ahead of the year-end holidays.
According to Nikkei Asia , the Malaysian government announced that the number of Covid-19 cases increased by 62.2%, to 20,696 cases, in the period from December 10 to 16. Most cases are mild, but there have also been 28 deaths. On December 20, the Malaysian Ministry of Health announced that it would activate 235 vaccination centers at state medical facilities to improve Covid-19 vaccination rates. The government has also reactivated the Advanced Warning System, an early intervention process based on infection and death levels as well as hospitalization rates.
Similarly, Singapore began taking action after a spike in cases. According to the Singapore Ministry of Health , the number of Covid-19 cases in this country increased by 75%, to more than 56,000 cases, in the period from December 3 to 9, marking the third consecutive week of increase. From December 19, the ministry began updating daily the number of new infections on the website to provide timely information to the people.
Thailand's Ministry of Public Health said the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections in the country has now reached about 5,000 cases per day, the highest in the past 5 months. Authorities warn that the Covid-19 wave may flare up in the last days of the year because this is the festival and party season. In Indonesia, authorities reported that the number of Covid-19 cases has tripled since early December. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in the capital Jakarta is preparing to reintroduce health procedures.
The above countries have all issued recommendations reminding people to wear masks and get vaccinated. However, experts say that this time countries will not need to blockade or close their borders.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
