The Ministry of Health and Phnom Penh Municipal Administration are accelerating the construction of a new quarantine centre to be ready by year’s end.

The construction began in September. Health minister Mam Bun Heng and Phnom Penh governor Khuong Sreng went to check on the progress on November 5 and said they want it finished as soon as possible.

Ministry spokeswoman Or Vandine said on November 10 that the centre has four buildings on almost 1ha in Prek Pnov district’s Prek Pnov commune.

“We will put every effort into completing this centre according to plan because the demand is significant,” she said.

Ministry secretary of state York Sambath told reporters the centre will be able to accommodate 460 people. The ministry has plans to build two more buildings to be able to contain 800 people. This plan will cost about $790,000 with funding from the government’s budget.

The government have been using some schools in Phnom Penh to quarantine Cambodians travelling from abroad.

“Cambodians travelling from abroad will quarantine in this centre after it is done, while foreigners have to quarantine in hotels. This will make it convenient to manage. In the quarantine centre there will be doctors and equipment prepared,” she said.

Following a visit by Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto on November 3, Prime Minister Hun Sen has instructed the authorities to strictly monitor those required to be in quarantine.

“I have ordered the health ministry and Phnom Penh and Kandal authorities to check on all people who are quarantined. If they do not quarantine properly at home, they will be invited to quarantine at facilities organised by the health ministry,” he said.