Women walk through barricades in Chaom Chao commune in Phnom Penh’s Por Sen Chey district on May 26. Heng Chivoan
The Phnom Penh Municipal Administration has redesignated some areas in Russey Keo and Por Sen Chey districts as orange zones after a resurgence of Covid-19 cases there. This came as restrictions were lifted for certain orange zones in several districts after the community outbreak eased.
Municipal governor Khuong Sreng announced the decision in two separate directives on May 26.
“Some parts of Phsar Touch village in Russey Keo district’s Tuol Sangke I commune and some parts of Prey Tea village I in Por Sen Chey district’s Chaom Chao III commune are now classified as orange zones for 14 days effective 2pm on May 27 until June 9 to prevent the spread of Covid-19,” one of the directives said without specifying the exact number of new Covid-19 cases there.
But in a separate announcement on May 26, the municipality said there were about 100 factory workers living in Por Sen Chey district’s Prey Tea village I who tested positive, while more than a hundred cases were detected in Russey Keo district’s Phsar Touch village on May 25.
According to the directive, people are prohibited from leaving their accommodation unless necessary. Travel for daily business or to work in the private sector is permitted if they have travel permits issued by the municipal administration and accompanied with an employment certificate.
Only two family members in one household can go out to purchase food and other daily necessities but they cannot do so more than three times a week and only to the nearest place of business.
The directive also stated that all online businesses can continue operations but have to reduce the number of staff to no more than two per cent of the entire workforce and ensure that they have lunch at the workplace.
Gatherings are banned except among family members in the same accommodation, and for certain reasons such as funerals, specimen collection and vaccinations, and emergency service provision.
“People cannot meet or gather to drink alcohol and have to obey the curfew in the orange zone. All traffic and work or business activities from 8pm to 3am will be temporarily suspended, except for special cases,” the directive said.
In another directive, Sreng lifted restrictions in orange zones and reclassified them as yellow. The decision is effective May 27 through June 2 depending on the actual situations.
They include some parts in Russey Keo and Por Sen Chey and in three other districts – Chbar Ampov, Tuol Kork and Meanchey.
