Cambodia’s COVID-19 cases rises to 12

Health workers in front of the isolation room where the 65-year-old British woman was quarantined in Kampong Cham province. KT/Chor Sokunthea

Health workers in front of the isolation room where the 65-year-old British woman was quarantined in Kampong Cham province. KT/Chor Sokunthea

Four new cases of COVID-19 was reported late yesterday, bringing the total number of victims to double digits since the virus outbreak started in late December in Wuhan, China.

This is the largest single day detection in Cambodia since the outbreak started worldwide.

According to a Ministry of Health’s press release, the four new cases includes a four month old infant of a French citizen who was tested positive in Singapore and in Cambodia, a Cambodian citizen who had returned from France and two Cambodians who had attended a religious congregation in Malaysia recently.

The last are located in Preah Vihear province.

As of 15 March 2020, 11:30 p.m local time, the Kingdom has confirmed twelve cases of Covid-19, including:

1. A 60-year-old Chinese man tested positive on 27 January when he flew from Wuhan to Sihanoukville. However, he recovered and returned home.

2. A 38-year-old Cambodian man in Siem Reap on 7 March, believed to have been contracted from a from Japanese businessman who had been in Siem Reap before flying to Japan where he was detected. He is currently hospitalised in Siem Reap hospital.

3. A 65-year-old British woman, a passenger on Viking Cruise Journey, who was tested positive on 10 March 2020 in Kompong Cham province. The woman was infected with the virus from a Vietnamese woman who flew by plane together from London to Hanoi on 2 March. On 5 March, the 65-year-old flew from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh before taking the cruise from Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh and then to Kompong Cham.

4. A 73-year-old British man on Viking Cruise Journey tested positive on 11 March in Kompong Cham.

5. A 69-year old British woman on Viking Cruise Journey tested positive on 11 March in Kompong Cham.

All three are now in a hospital in Phnom Penh.

6. A 49-year-old Canadian tested positive on 13 March in Phnom Penh.

7. A 33-year old Belgian tested positive on 13 March in Phnom Penh.

8. A 35-year-old French man in Phnom Penh.

9. A four-month old baby of the 35-year-old French man.

10. A Cambodian from France tested positive on 15 March, now being hospitalised at Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital.

11. A 35-year-old Cambodian in Preah Vihear tested positive on 15 March.

12. A 39-year-old Cambodian also from Preah Vihear tested positive on 15 March.

It was learned that efforts are underway to trace the whereabouts of additional Cambodians who had attended a religious congregation in Malaysia as COVID-19 has affected a number of those who had attended the session from other countries.