The Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) are acting fast following an outbreak of a new disease called COVID-19 in China. The virus that causes COVID-19 was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, and in the weeks since, cases have spread to 28 additional countries. More than 75,000 cases have now been detected world-wide.
No case has yet been detected in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR). However, the Ministry of Health is treating the situation as high risk due to cases in the neighbouring countries of Viet Nam, Cambodia and Thailand, and high levels of travel in the region. Efforts are underway to strengthen the country’s ability to detect and respond to the virus, should it spread.
What is COVID-19?
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illnesses, such as the common cold, SARS and MERS. They tend to be transmitted from person to person, usually after contact with an infected person. “We still have a lot to learn about the virus that causes COVID-19, and the disease itself” said Dr Mark Jacobs, Country Representative for WHO in Lao PDR. “But what we do know is that most people are experiencing mild symptoms, like a runny nose, sore throat, cough and fever, and are then recovering.
“But in just under a fifth of cases, people are suffering from more severe or critical symptoms such as pneumonia and breathing difficulties. Around 2% of cases have died. Older people, and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as diabetes, heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases or cancer) appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill if infected. Relatively few cases have been found among children. The international community are working hard to learn more about this virus and the disease, so that we can do everything we can to stop it,” he emphasised.
What the Ministry and WHO have been doing to prepare Lao PDR for a possible outbreak
Since the start of the outbreak in China, the Ministry of Health of Lao PDR has been monitoring the situation closely and preparing for the possibility of cases in the country, with the help of WHO.
“The Ministry’s top priority has been to make sure they are looking for anyone with possible symptoms and testing them for the virus that causes COVID-19,” explained Dr Jacobs. “Given that the most likely source of cases would be from people who have recently travelled from places with current cases, they are screening travellers at airports and land crossings as they enter the country. The Ministry is also making sure that laboratories have the right equipment to test samples and detect the virus in a timely manner so that they can act fast if an outbreak starts.”
At the same time the Ministry of Health has been helping the health sector get ready for possible future cases in Lao, with support from WHO. They have been training hospitals on how to provide care for anyone with COVID-19 and to prevent the spread of infection. Personal protective equipment is being distributed to health facilities for health care workers. In addition, messages on the situation and on prevention measures are being regularly communicated to the general public.
Advice for the general public
As with other coronaviruses, the virus that causes COVID-19 spreads from person to person via droplets from the nose and mouth (when coughing and sneezing) or via contaminated surfaces. The general public are being advised to reduce the general risk of acute respiratory infections by avoiding close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infection; practicing cough and sneeze etiquette (covering mouth and nose with a tissue or elbow) and staying home from school or work when sick; washing their hands frequently, and avoiding close contact with sick or stray animals.
For more information on how to protect yourself, read this
Anyone with have symptoms of fever, cough and difficulty breathing are advised to seek care immediately, especially if they have recently travelled to China or had contact with someone who has. It is important that travellers report their travel history to their healthcare worker.
If you are in Lao PDR and you experience these symptoms, call 166 at any time to ask for advice in Lao, English or Chinese, or go to your nearest health care facility to seek urgent medical care.
To learn more about the global outbreak, check out WHO’s daily situation reports.