Covid cases pass 3.6 million in Asean countries
The number of Covid-19 cases crossed 3.61 million across Southeast Asia, with 16,861 new cases reported on Thursday, slightly higher than Wednesday.
Laos confirmed 55 new cases, bringing the number of its patients to 1,417. The country’s National Centre for Laboratory and Epidemiology said the transmission has become common within families, particularly after people failed to comply with regulations such as self-isolating and reducing the chances of infecting family members.
Malaysia meanwhile recorded its highest daily death toll of 39 on Wednesday, surpassing the previous high of 26 recorded on Sunday and bringing the national death toll to 1,761 as new infections rose by 4,765 cases.
As that nation entered another national lockdown, the Health Ministry warned the number of new daily infections may exceed 5,000 by the middle of this month and urged the public to adhere to strict anti-Covid measures, especially during Hari Raya festivities.
Moreover, Malaysia has confirmed that 62 domestic Covid-19 cases are of the South African B.1.351 variant while two cases are related to the Indian B.1.617.