Category: Health

(KPL) Laos has confirmed 651 new Covid-19 cases and one new death attributed to Covid-19 over the past 24 hours, according to the National Taskforce Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control.

Deputy Director General of the National Center for Laboratory and Epidemiology, Ministry of Health, Dr Buaphan Khaphaphongphan told a press conference today that some 6,855 people were tested for Covid-19 and 315 patients were discharged from hospital yesterday.

Of the new confirmed cases, 644 were classified as local infections, mostly in Luang Prabang 215, Vientiane 185, Khammuan 148, Savannakhet 35, Bokeo 25, Vientiane (province) 22, Champassak 11, Luang Namtha two and Borikhamxay one.

Seven imported cases were reported in Savannakhet five and Saravan two.

Since March 2020, the total of confirmed cases of Covid-19 has reached 30,615 including 7,102 active cases and 36 deaths.

Source: Lao News Agency

On Oct 12, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) handed over telehealth equipment to the Ministry of Health (MoH) for the provision of essential Reproductive Maternal Newborn Child Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) service to women and girls.

The package contains mobile phones, thermometers, blood pressure scuff, saturometer, information, education, and communication (IEC) materials.

The material will be distributed to health providers in six provinces, such as Vientiane, Savannakhet, Borikhamxay, Khammuan, Champassak, and Saravan.

Minister of Health Bounfeng Phoummalaysith said “We are facing an emergency and tragedy that happens to pregnant women at the quarantine centres. With UNFPA support, we aim to implement as many services as possible to prevent maternal deaths. The telehealth approach is innovative service delivery. We tried last year in Luang Prabang, during the lockdown, women could consult the midwives through phone calls and get advice. It worked very well so we said: why not apply it with women at isolation facilities.”

UNFPA Country Representative for Lao PDR Mariam A. Khan said, “telehealth will ensure that women and girls receive RMNCAH services even in quarantine and isolation. The medical equipment is crucial for health providers to provide timely and effective services remotely. While there are 26 Covid related deaths in the Lao PDR over two years, from January to October 2021, already 73 maternal deaths have been recorded in the Lao PDR! UNFPA will make every effort to support the government to ensure that women and girls have access to life saving healthcare in a manner that minimises COVID transmission.”

As the provinces have received an influx of returning migrant workers, there is an increased need for RMNCAH services for the female migrant workers at the quarantine and isolation facilities.

In response to such demands, UNFPA provided telehealth training to 42 healthcare providers from those provinces in August. In addition, to further support telehealth implementation, the healthcare providers will receive the medical devices and IEC materials to facilitate their work.

Telehealth was first introduced and piloted in Luang Prabang in 2020.

The pilot saw positive results and has been further expanded to include the six provinces. This innovative approach serves as a new platform for maintaining the essential RMNCAH services during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in remote areas, where access to healthcare remains a challenge.

Through telehealth, health providers connect with women and provide immediate assistance, advice, and referral pathways to ensure pregnant women, mothers, and their babies receive care timely and stay safe.

Source: Lao News Agency

Laos on Oct 13 received 1 million additional doses of Covid-19 vaccine from China with the handover taking place at the Wattay International Airport in Vientiane between Chinese Ambassador to Laos Jiang Zaidong and Deputy Prime Minister Kikeo Khaikhamphithoun.

“Today, the government and people of Laos are very happy and pleased to receive more doses of Covid-19 vaccine,” said Mr Kikeo. “The Government and people of Laos highly valued and would like to express sincere gratitude for such pure, honest, priceless, prompt and constant assistance from the Party, government and people of China.”

Source: Lao News Agency

Laos has confirmed 566 new Covid-9 cases and two new deaths attributed to Covid-19 over the past 24 hours, according to the National Taskforce Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control.

The deaths included an unemployed woman, 45, in Nonsomboun, Sikhottabong district, Vientiane, who had suffered from kidney failure and received first dose of Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine.

The second death was identified as an 80-years-old man, villager of Pakhed, Naxaythong district, Vientiane. He was unvaccinated against Covid-19 and had been suffering from uncontrolled status epilepticus for years.

Of the new confirmed cases, 557 were classified as local infections and nine as imported cases.

With the latest infections, the total of confirmed Covid-19 cases has reached 29,964 including 6,922 active cases and 35 deaths.

“Some 6,427 people were tested for Covid-19 and 324 patients were discharged from hospital yesterday,” Deputy Director General of the National Centre for Laboratory and Epidemiology, Ministry of Health, Dr Buaphan Khamphaphongphan told a press conference today.

The local infections were reported in Vientiane 246, Luang Prabang 186, Vientiane (province) 49, Savannakhet 27, Bokeo 16, Champassak 15, Khammuan six, Luang Namtha five, Xaysomboun three, Borikhamxay and Saravan two each.

The imported cases included four each in Savannakhet and Khammuan and one in Luang Prabang.

Source: Lao News Agency

Laos has confirmed 542 new Covid-19 cases and three new deaths attributed to Covid-19 over the past 24 hours bringing the total to 29,398 and 33 respectively.

Deputy Minister of Health Sanong Thongsana told a press conference today that yesterday witnessed 5,240 people tested for Covid-19 and 248 patients discharged from hospital.

Of the new confirmed cases, 533 were classified as local infections and nine as imported cases.

The local infections were recorded in Vientiane 380, Luang Prabang 52, Savannakhet 22, Vientiane (province) 18, Borikhamxay 17, Champassak 15, Bokeo and Xaysomboun 10 each, Khammuan seven and Saravan two.

The imported cases included six in Vientiane and three in Savannakhet.

Source: Lao News Agency

Laos has confirmed 508 new Covid-19 cases nationwide over the past 24 hours bringing the total to 28,540 including 6,535 active cases and 26 deaths, the National Taskforce Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control told a press conference today.

Of the new confirmed cases, 507 were classified as local infections and one as imported case.

The local infections were recorded in Vientiane 400, Luang Prabang 23, Bokeo, Borikhamxay and Khammuan 13 each, Vientiane (province) 11, Savannakhet 10, Xaysomboun five, and Champassak four.

Source: Lao News Agency