Month: October 2021

Some 464 new Covid-19 cases have been recorded nationwide over the previous 24 hours, bringing the total to 24,310 including 5,691 active cases and 20 deaths.

Director General of the Department of Communicable Diseases Control, Ministry of Health, Dr Rattanaxay Phetsouvanh told a press conference today that 6,393 people were tested for Covid-19 yesterday.

Some 135 patients were discharged from hospital today.

The new daily confirmed cases included 437 classified as local infections and 27 as imported cases.

Of the local infections, 220 were detected in Vientiane, 70 in Luang Prabang, 63 in Champassak, 38 in Bokeo, 19 in Savannakhet, 15 in Vientiane (province), five in Khammuan, three each in Borikhamxay and Saravan and one in Luang Namtha.

The imported cases were reported in Champassak 19, Khammuan three, Saravan two and Savannakhet, Luang Prabang and Vientiane one each.

Source: Lao News Agency

On Sep 26, 2021, 10 traction substations along the Lao section of the Laos-China Railway began to power up the railway, kicking off the full operation of the 115 kV external power supply project for the Lao rail section.

The Laos-China Railway marks the first electrified line in Laos. For modern electrified railways, power supply holds the key in their operation, like the blood flowing in an organic body.

Passing through the four provinces of Luang Namtha, Oudomxay, Luang Prabang and Vientiane, as well as the capital city of Vientiane, the external power supply project for Lao section of the China-Laos Railway is designed to build the 115kV transmission lines with a total length of 257 kilometers, and it connects 10 electrified traction substations to the Lao national grid.

The Laos-China Power Investment Company (LCPC), jointly founded by China Southern Power Grid Yunnan International (CSG-YNIC) and Electricite Du Laos (EDL) in 2019, is in charge of the power supply project for Laos – China Railway.

“Laos and China carried out multiple power-cooperation projects, which has been conducive to guaranteeing power supply in Laos, and construction of the projects injected vigour to Lao economic growth and industrial restructuring,” said Khammany Inthirath, Former Minister of Energy and Mines.

CSG high standard empowers Lao workers

The External Power Supply Project for Lao section of the Laos – China Railway is the first BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) project in the country. Holding the attitude of being responsible for the Lao people and the power industry, the LCPC decided to adopt the higher standard of China Southern Power Grid (CSG) in constructing the project.

Standards for power-grid construction fall into three categories in China: corporate, industrial and national. In terms of building up the power-transmission network and its supporting facilities, the CSG standard is higher than the industrial or national standard. In adopting the higher construction standard, however, benefits will be long lasting though there are difficulties in the beginning. Linguistic barriers and cultural differences formed the first difficulty.

“To overcome the linguistic barriers in the project, we hired the Laotian interpreters good at Chinese to facilitate communications between the Lao and Chinese workers,” said Qin Hua, the LCPC business manager, adding the explanations were followed by practical examples. “The leading Chinese technicians showed in person how to erect the lines, how to keep safe in operations, which step comes first and others,” said Qin.

Local workers showed understanding and support to their Chinese peers’ adopting the higher technical and safety standard in demonstrations, but when the details were actually carried out in construction, the local workers found it hard to adapt to.

In equipping the pylon towers with anti-theft nuts, for example, the Lao workers tend to easily force the locks into the tower with a hammer, while the CSG standard stresses the locks’ aperture must be kept in a unified direction.

Huang Wengang, LCPC president and head of the project, explained that this is conducive to future check-ups in maintenance. “The unified direction will make it much easier to see what’s wrong and the operational efficiency will be thus increased. What’s more, orderliness is also part of the high quality.”

Thanks to the high standard, strict steps and patient talks, the local workers gradually changed their ideas and practices. At the minor changes, Huang had another thought. “When the project is finished, the Lao workers will be equipped with new skills and experience for a better job, and they can contribute to more projects in Laos.”

The person who is in charge of the EDL said that the project team has been careful and considerate in powering the China-Laos Railway. He thought it was honored to work with a team that has tried all possible ways to push forward the project with the high standard.

Caring for lucid waters, lush mountains in Laos

Ecological and environmental protection is of special significance in planning and constructing the power-supply project for the Lao rail section: From the Laos – China border town of Boten southward to Vientiane near the Laos-Thailand border, the railway section is coupled with diverse ecologies, environmentally sensitive areas, and numerous nature reserves.

Respectful to nature’s grace and cultural relics, the LCPC and other constructors have always taken environmental protection as an inalienable part in the project planning, constructing, and checking for acceptance, trying all possible means to minimize the environmental impact.

Borrowing the Chinese environmental-protection experiences in constructing power-supply projects for mountainous railways, the construction teams adopted tower foundations of unequal heights to minimize excavation in the Lao mountains. This practice had been hardly applied in Laos before that.

“Lao constructors mostly are accustomed to the even foundations, but erecting a pylon tower means flatting a hill top first,” said Yin Nan, senior business manager at the CSG-YNIC. The uneven tower foundations have reduced the project’s digging and environmental impact, and prevented water losses and soil erosion, while increased the tower’s security and reliability.

Besides protecting the land features with technical procedures, the project constructors also took into account the plants and animals protection along the Lao rail section. By elevating the heights of towers, vegetation damage was reduced and passages for animal migration were preserved. When height of the pylons reaches up to 60-80 meters, it could avoid cutting treetops.

After construction, the builders also planted suitable grass species to restore the local eco-environment.

“Having visited Laos several times, we’ve fallen in love with the hills, waters and lush vegetation here, understanding better the Lao folks’ special love and reverence to nature,” said the Chinese workers, adding they cared for the local environment from the route selection to project design and construction. “Lucid waters and lush mountains are valued not only in China, but also in Laos.”

Bond for people-to-people exchanges

In their efforts to go global, Chinese companies have tried their best to benefit local community and build bonds with local people.

“A state-owned company, the CSG never sees profit as its only pursuit,” stressed a person in charge of the firm. Instead, it aimed to shoulder more social responsibility via projects, boosting the Lao economy and improving locals’ well-being in practical terms.

In dealing with the tricky problem of land compensation, for example, the CSG took into account the governmental requirements and the villagers’ appeals. When pushing forward the project, the construction teams took the initiative to talk with the departments, village heads and villagers’ representatives, solving their problems with patience.

“The key is to find out the right person,” said Qin Hua.

26-year-old Thepmoukda Phetsalath is a LCPC staffer with the Lao nationality, who joined the power-supply project after graduation from Tongji University in China. Mastering the Laotian and Chinese languages, Phetsalath has worked at the LCPC for two years as an interpreter and negotiator, bridging the linguistic gaps among the Laos – China workers and between project managers and local Laotians.

The Lao staffers of the project mostly served in the administrative sector at first, but as the project and integration went deeper, more Laotians like Phetsalath played more roles in business activities and technical tasks.

Since its full commencement in December 2019, the power-supply project for the Lao rail section has offered job opportunities for villagers and townsmen along the railway. According to incomplete data, a total of 654 workers were carrying forward the project during the peak construction days, including the LCPC staffers, four construction teams and one supervising group. Of these, the Laotians accounted for almost 80 per cent.

In its efforts of localization, the CSG has specifically carried out technical exchanges on power management, professional training and international programmes for students, while advancing Laos – China interconnection in power supply, said Wang Fude, an LCPC senior business manager. All aimed for long-term power cooperation in the two countries.

Heads of the CSG-YNIC said by deepening power cooperation in more neighbouring countries, the CSG would step up technical training in the future, so that more locals could be trained as professional talents in power supply and management and benefit the local power industry.

Source: Lao News Agency

The Government has announced the extension of anti-Covid-19 measures for two more weeks, taking effect between Oct 1-15 to ensure the minimizing of infections and deaths attributed to Covid-19.

Under the latest decision by the government, border checkpoints across the country will remain closed.

Tourist and visitor visas will not be issued. However diplomatic personnel, employees of international organizations, experts, and investors will be granted entry only if they comply with all anti-Covid-19 measures imposed by the government.

Ambassadors and heads of international organizations may use their residences for quarantine as those with lower ranks must be quarantined at designated quarantine hotels.

Entertainment venues, cinemas, spas, karaoke bars, pubs, internet cafes, snooker halls, and casinos must remain closed across the country.

Massage parlors, beauty salons, night markets, food gardens, and tourist sites in areas with community spread of Covid-19 must remain closed.

Factories in areas with community cases of Covid-19 must be closed except with permission from the National Taskforce Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control.

Factories manufacturing consumer goods, medicines or medical equipment can open as long as they comply strictly with Covid-19 prevention measures.

Individuals are prohibited from entering or exiting areas with community spread of Covid-19 except those with prior permission from the Covid Taskforce or relevant authorities.

Indoor and outdoor fitness centers or stadiums must close, while outdoor exercises in areas with community spread of Covid-19 (red zone) are prohibited.

All parties, gatherings, and social events are prohibited across the country.

Stockpiling, hoarding, and increasing of goods prices are prohibited.

Road traffic within Vientiane and other provinces with community cases of Covid-19 is prohibited from 22:00 to 5:00 hours, except for freight vehicles, emergency vehicles, and those of the Covid-19 Taskforce or government officials who are on official trips.

Schools and educational institutions at every level across the country are to remain closed.

Meetings and conferences or other gatherings with more than 20 persons are prohibited along with religious festivals and activities. Should any individuals or organizations, including government agencies, wish to hold a conference or gathering, it must request prior permission from the Covid-19 Taskforce.

Shopping malls, retail shops, supermarkets, minimarts, and fresh markets that comply with Covid-19 prevention measures may remain open. Covid-19 prevention measures must be fully implemented including temperature checks, wearing facemasks, and social distancing of at least one meter. All such retailers and market venues must be closed by 8 pm.

Funerals, wakes, and other religious services must be held in accordance with the instructions provided by the Covid Taskforce.

Barbershops and beauty salons that are not in red zones may resume operations, with Covid-19 prevention measures including social distancing strictly followed at all times. Employees and customers must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, and such businesses must close by 7 pm.

Restaurants and cafes in localities without community spread may continue to provide dine-in services, however, tables must be organized at least one meter apart, while service of alcohol is prohibited. Restaurants must strictly comply with all Covid-19 prevention measures. Restaurants in areas with outbreaks of Covid-19 can provide takeaway services only.

Factories and plants in localities without community spread may operate on the condition that their employees receive two doses of Covid-19 vaccine and do not reside in areas with community cases (red zones).

Factories wishing to house employees on site may do so only if they submit detailed plan to Taskforce Committee for consideration.

Meetings can be held in areas without community infections and social distancing and other Covid-19 prevention measures must be strictly observed. Participants of the meeting must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. Should conferences be held in different provinces, relevant provincial authorities must be notified in advance.

Travel within localities that have not experienced an outbreak may continue as usual.

Land, water, and air transport between provinces without community spread of Covid-19 may resume and no quarantine is required.

Foreign citizens who have entered Laos and wish to travel to other provinces must show travel itinerary, proof of 14-day quarantine, and permission from the National Taskforce Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control to relevant authorities without having to undertake additional quarantine at the destination province.

Foreigners who reside in Laos or have been in Laos for some time are allowed to travel under the same conditions as Lao citizens.

Travel to and from provinces with Covid-19 outbreak will require permission from the provincial taskforces of the province of origin and destination province.

Drivers transporting goods between provinces may deliver the cargos to destination without unloading them during the trip and they are not required to undertake Covid-19 tests or quarantine in the destination province but must comply with Covid-19 measures of the Taskforce.

Teaching and learning of vocational education, pedagogical training, and the final year of all educational levels may resume if authorized by the National Taskforce Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control as long as Covid-19 prevention and control measures are strictly followed.

Indoor and outdoor fitness centers and stadiums in provinces without community spread may continue operation as long as no alcoholic drinks are sold on their premises and all anti-Covid-19 measures are observed.

As for Vientiane, massage parlors may reopen in areas without community cases on the condition that both customers and service providers are fully vaccinated and the parlors must be closed by 8 pm.

Source: Lao News Agency

The United States has surpassed 700,000 deaths from COVID-19, the highest of any country.

The U.S. recorded 700,258 deaths Friday evening, according to data from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

Brazil has the second-highest number of deaths, with 597,255. India has 448,339; Mexico, 277,507; and Russia, 204,424, according to Johns Hopkins. Globally, nearly 4.8 million people have died from COVID-19.

U.S. health officials say cases have been declining across the United States in recent weeks. However, while the latest wave of COVID-19 has peaked across the country as a whole, some states, especially in the North, are seeing case numbers rise.

In other developments in the U.S., California became the first state to announce a vaccine mandate for schoolchildren once the Food and Drug Administration formally approves COVID-19 vaccines for younger age groups.

Currently, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has been fully approved for people age 16 and older and cleared for emergency use in children ages 12-15.

Once the vaccine is fully approved for the younger age group, California will mandate it for students in seventh through 12th grades.

After it is approved for anyone 5 and older, the state will mandate the vaccine for children in kindergarten through sixth grade.

Students will be granted exemptions for religious and medical reasons.

In Washington, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh tested positive for COVID-19, despite having been vaccinated. The court said the 54-year-old justice had no symptoms.

The positive test forced Kavanaugh to miss Friday’s ceremonial swearing in for Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who was appointed to the court last year by former President Donald Trump. Her ceremony was delayed because of the pandemic.

In other court news, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor denied an emergency appeal from a group of New York City schoolteachers seeking to block the city’s vaccine mandate for school staff.

The ruling means the vaccine mandate can go forward. Under its rules, the city’s school employees had until 5 p.m. Friday to get at least their first vaccine shot.

Source: Voice of America

As COVID-19 has spread in Nigeria, Africa’s most populated country, so have myths about the virus, especially among children. A Nigerian author has written a children’s book to help them understand the pandemic and ways to avoid being infected.

A team of educators arrives at a government school in Abuja. Equipped with books, face masks and sanitizers, they’re here to educate schoolchildren about the coronavirus pandemic and personal hygiene.

The initiative is the brainchild of team leader Raquel Kasham Daniel, a Nigerian author and founder of the nonprofit Beyond the Classroom Foundation.

She started the foundation 11 years ago to help make education accessible to vulnerable children. But she said when COVID-19 hit Nigeria last year, she had to focus on teaching children how to stay safe or reduce their risk of contracting the virus through her books.

“Because COVID was evolving, I knew we’ll not have one edition of the book,” she said. “So, we’ve had different editions of the book where I’ve had to update it from time to time. The support that we’ve received has mostly come from social media and some funders who have seen our work.”

The COVID-19 children’s book is titled There’s a New Virus in Town. It contains colorful images, along with text, to help children better understand the coronavirus. It also contains a quiz at the end where children can guess the next character or topic.

Twelve-year-old Jemila Abdul read it at the Abuja school.

“I’ll wash my hands regularly, and I’ll wear face masks, keep social distances, and keep my compound clean,” she said.

Nine-year-old Peculiar Oyewole said he’ll keep safe in order to keep his friends safe.

“I was angry because the coronavirus killed so many people,” he said. “I don’t want it to kill my friends.”

Nigeria has recorded more than 200,000 cases of the coronavirus, but authorities say myths and misinformation about the pandemic continue to spread, and children are among the most susceptible.

Daniel’s program, which has reached some 14,000 children so far, is helping to address this problem not only in schools but also among vulnerable groups.

“Some will say only older people are dying because God wants to save the children, that God is cleaning the Earth,” Daniel said. “We heard all sorts of things. So, what we do with our volunteers is to teach them and arm them with information about this myth and teach them (that) when you get on the field, this is how to debunk it.”

Nigerian authorities have been making efforts to educate the public and try to overcome misinformation, which authorities blame for a slow vaccine uptake.

But in the meantime, Daniel will be having an impact on kids.

Source: Voice of America