Kingdom’s virus cases low, nearly all recover
THE Kingdom continues to maintain a low record of Covid-19 infections, with only two out of a total of 122 patients remaining hospitalised and no new case reported in the last three weeks.
The Ministry of Health said it had taken samples from a total of 12,304 people – equivalent to 757 out of every one million people – for testing.
Beyond the border, a Cambodian scholarship student in the UK tested positive while transiting in South Korea on his flight to the Kingdom. In Mali, three Cambodian Blue Helmets who contracted the virus while on a mission there have recovered.
Back in Cambodia, the last two patients are in “good health” but remain under health monitoring in Kampong Chhnang and Banteay
Meanchey provincial hospitals after testing positive and negative a dozen times.
Kampong Chhnang provincial health department director Prak Vun told The Post on Sunday that the coronavirus-infected man had travelled to Malaysia for a religious gathering.
He said t he last test result for the man came out negative, but he was to undergo another test on Sunday before being discharged from hospita l.
“His health condition is normal now, no serious symptoms despite the virus remaining. He’s stayed at the hospital for around 48 days and has gone through testing 12 times, the last of which was negative. If he tests negative again today [Sunday], it means he has successfully recovered,” he said.
In Banteay Meanchey province,
health department director Keo Sopheaktra said the 36year-old patient, who worked at a karaoke parlour on the outskirts of Poipet town, tested 11 times and was found negative twice after first contracting the virus on March 29.
“Her health condition is fine. She eats and sleeps as normal, though she has not been cleared of Covid-19. We’ve done so many tests such as tuberculosis, AIDS, diabetes but found no such diseases,” he said.
Sopheaktra said her habits and mental health conditions are partly to blame for the slow recovery. “She has not had enough sleep and talked too much, which is not good for her mental health. The virus remains in her body,” he said.
In Mali, the three Cambodian peacekeepers have recovered after contracting the virus last week. Cambodia’s Centre for Peacekeeping Forces spokesperson Kosal Malida said the officers will undergo official testing before being cleared of Covid-19.
“They show no symptoms now, which means they have recovered. However, UN health officials will continue to give them medicines and keep them in quarantine until a new test completely proves they don’t have the virus anymore,” she said.
Among the three, she said one was still coughing a little bit, though he does not have high temperature or flu as before.
Malida said those who had been in contact with the officers had not shown any suspicious symptoms.
There are currently 249 Cambodian Blue Helmets stationed abroad, she said.
In South Korea, the health condition of the Cambodian scholarship student who transited there on her flight from the UK to Cambodia is fine though she remains hospitalised for Covid-19, said Cambodian Ambassador in Seoul Long Dimanche.
Dimanche told The Post on Sunday that the student had used public transportation while pursuing higher education in the UK. She returned to Cambodia as the university has been temporarily closed amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the Cambodian embassy in London is tracing those who had been in contact with her.
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