• Society

The Ministry of Health Confirms One New Case of COVID-19

• Phoung Vantha
• October 8, 2020 4:48 AM

The health authorities also respond to fears of widespread contamination in Siem Reap City

PHNOM PENH--The Ministry of Health on Oct. 8 reported that one new case of COVID-19 has been identified in the country. 

This involves an Indonesian man who flew from Indonesia and arrived in Cambodia via Singapore on Oct. 6, the ministry said in a press release. The patient is now under care at the Khmer Soviet Friendship Hospital in Phnom Penh.

The 112 passengers who were on his flight and tested negative for the coronavirus upon arrival in the country are now undergoing a 14-day quarantine at designated locations in Phnom Penh, the ministry said in the release.

On Oct. 7, Ministry spokesperson Or Vandine had responded to fears that a French COVID-19 patient who had first tested negative for the coronavirus may have contaminated a number of people.

The Frenchman, who ended up testing positive on the 13th day of his self-quarantine, is believed to have visited bars and attended a pool party in Siem Reap City while he was still meant to be in quarantine.  

During an online press conference, Vandine said that the health authorities have traced 57 people who have been in close contact with him, and that all have tested negative for COVID-19.

The patient, who is now under care at the Siem Reap Provincial Referral Hospital, had arrived in Cambodia from France on a flight via Singapore on Sept. 20, and gone from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap City by minibus on Sept. 22 after testing negative for the coronavirus. 

The 98 passengers on his flight as well as the three people who travelled with him on the minibus are being monitored for COVID-19, Vandine said.  

These latest cases bring the number of confirmed cases in Cambodia to 281 with 276 patients who have recovered and five who remain hospitalized since the first case was identified in the country in January 2020.