Prime Minister Hun Sen concludes that the October 5-7 Pchum Ben public holiday, during which many people either flocked to their hometowns for family reunion or gathered at tourist attractions across the country, has not caused an outbreak of Covid-19.

In a special address to the nation early on October 19, he said the number of new transmission cases and death toll have been stable and even less than before the holiday.

“After Pchum Ben, when our people travelled to many places, we've seen that the number of new transmission cases has not increased but instead decreased, while the number of deaths has been stable and likely to decline. This is a big testament [to our success] as I said previously before we reopen the country in all sectors,” he said.

Nevertheless, he urged the public to maintain vigilance as the pandemic has shown no sign of ending anytime soon.

He said Covid-19 patients who have died were those with pre-existing severe medical conditions and the unvaccinated.

On October 18 alone, he noted, eight of the 12 deceased Covid-19 patients had not been vaccinated.

“In light of all these, we can conclude that vaccines are the solid fortress for protecting our people, reducing transmission and preventing fatal conditions,” he said.

He called on people who have not been vaccinated to get the jabs. Authorities, he said, should also bring vaccines directly to people in rural areas where some have difficulty getting the shots.

Hun Sen urged the public not to send patients from provinces to Phnom Penh for treatment and should instead admit them to designated hospitals in the provinces as they have been adeqately equipped to treat Covid-19 patients. Sending them to the capital would only pose a high risk of transmission and cause the patients to develop severe conditions, he said.

He said as it is now the time to adapt lives to the new normal in the context of Covid-19, he urged unity in the communities by not discriminating against people who have tested positive for the coronavirus and get treatment at home. Patients getting home-based treatment should instead be motivated, he added.