Laos Shutters Small Checkpoints on Borders With Vietnam, Cambodia, Citing Coronavirus Spread
Laos is shuttering small checkpoints on its borders with Vietnam and Cambodia as part of a bid to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus into the country, where authorities have yet to announce a positive case of the disease caused by the virus (COVID-19).
The office of the Houaphanh provincial government issued a notice on March 13 ordering 10 of the northeastern province’s 14 checkpoints along its border with Vietnam to close down, citing a lack of resources to screen entrants for symptoms of infection.
The same day, a provincial health official confirmed the closures in an interview with RFA’s Lao Service.
“Houaphanh province has altogether 14 border check points, including ten ‘traditional’ and ‘local’ border checkpoints which have all been closed,” the official said, referring to checkpoints open to travelers between the two countries that share the border.
RFA’s Khmer and Lao Services. Translated by Max Avary and Sovannarith Keo. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
