PHNOM PENH: Prime Minister Hun Sen has continued to urge everyone to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, both the basic and booster doses, after expressing concern about the spread of the new BA.4 and BA.5 strains of the Omicron variant.

Prime Minister Hun Sen has expressed concern over the re-emergence of Covid-19 in the Cambodian community after the Ministry of Health announced the discovery of the BA.4 and BA.5 strains on travelers arriving from abroad to Cambodia, as well as within the local community, and among people getting tested for Covid-19 to travel abroad.

He added that there is currently a series of people testing positive for Covid-19 through both PCR and rapid tests in Phnom Penh and other provinces. He said that although there is no need to close the provinces, capitals, cities, and shops, the Royal Government calls on citizens to increase measures to protect personal health by returning to the implementation of the “3 Do’s and 3 Don’t’s” in addition to getting everyone vaccinated, as this is the only way to avoid potential catastrophe on human life.

“We see that today those who are infected are not serious cases," he said. "They are not serious because we have been vaccinated. But if we have not been vaccinated, perhaps a problem would happen to the lives of our people. Therefore, I continue to call on everyone to come and get the vaccine."

He praised the previous success of the fight against Covid-19 as a result of the people's active participation in government measures, asking the people to continue participating in the fight against this pandemic.

"I urge our people to take care of their own health, because this is the most important issue! No one can be sick on behalf of us," said the Prime Minister.

On Tuesday, 12 July, Cambodia detected 16 new cases of Covid-19 in the community, resulting in a total of more than 130,000 cases in the country, and more than 3,000 deaths.

As of Tuesday, 94.38% of the total 16 million population has been vaccinated against Covid-19, of which more than 14 million have been vaccinated with the base dose, nearly 10 million have been vaccinated with a third dose, more than 4 million have been vaccinated with a fourth dose, and nearly 370,000 people have been vaccinated with a fifth dose.

Cambodia has been recording new Covid-19 cases since 28 June, following a 52-day streak of no cases. Prime Minister Hun Sen sent an urgent voice message on the night of 28 June urging people to take precautionary measures and to get everyone vaccinated to prevent the large-scale spread of Covid-19 once again.