Laos has no coronavirus, deputy minister assures foreign diplomats
Laos is still free from the coronavirus even though the deadly Covid-19 has now spread to some 79 countries, Deputy Minister of Health, Associate Prof. Dr Phouthone Muongpak, told foreign diplomats yesterday.
The ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held a meeting to brief foreign diplomats and representatives of international organisations on the current situation and the measures Laos is taking to prevent and control the virus.
Responding to a question raised by a foreign representative as to what extent Laos is confident that no one in the country has contracted the virus, the deputy minister said “We are confident in our surveillance system.”
Laos had 53 suspected cases as of yesterday, but all of the people tested were diagnosed negative for the virus.
Addressing the question as to whether the virus could be present but undetected, Dr Phouthone said Laos has an adequate surveillance system whose network covers all provinces in the country.
“When a death is reported, our epidemiologists will go and investigate,” said Dr Phouthone, who is Deputy Head of the Taskforce Committee for Covid-19 prevention and control.
“You may have heard news that there were deaths in (northern) Phongsaly province and in a southern province. Our team there collected samples (for diagnosis),” he said.The deputy minister assured those present of the high standard of Laos’ diagnostic methods, which gave a negative result in all 53 suspected cases.
Souksakhone Vaenkeo
