Cambodian public, private sectors urged to test staff for COVID-19 after national holiday

Cambodia’s public and private sectors have been encouraged to carry out rapid COVID-19 tests for their employees after the Pchum Ben holiday, AKP news agency reported on October 4.

A health worker collects sample for COVID-19 testing from a man in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. (AFP/VNA)
A health worker collects sample for COVID-19 testing from a man in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. (AFP/VNA)

According to the government’s newly-issued directive, ministries, institutions and private sector, especially factories and enterprises employing a large number of workers as well as education institutions, have been urged to conduct rapid testing for COVID-19 among their employees and staff after the traditional break.

The measure was meant to prevent possible spread of COVID-19, mainly the highly-contagious Delta variant when Cambodia is moving toward the country’s reopening in all domains, the directive said.

The directive also called for the enforcement of health safety rules as well as necessary administrative and legal measures.

Moreover, the directive urged all citizens to fully comply with the health safety rules and respect the administrative and legal measures aiming to protect their own safety as well as that of their family members from COVID-19.

Due to potential COVID-19 threat, the Cambodian Government has cancelled the celebration of the Pchum Ben Festival whose main festivities are slated for October 5-7. However, all public and private workers are still allowed to have those days off.

The same day, Cambodia reported 219 new COVID-19 cases, 40 of which were imported. The country also recorded 23 new deaths and 457 recoveries.

So far, its total caseload reached 113,475 with 104,865 recoveries and 2,406 fatalities.

From February 10 to October 3, Cambodia vaccinated a total of 13,441,093 people, including citizens, members of the diplomatic corps and expatriates working and living in Cambodia.