Phnom Penh: Prime Minister Hun Sen has warned the public residing in the border provinces between Cambodia and Thailand to be extra cautious, with the Delta variant of Covid-19 cases increasing. He made the warning on Friday while chairing a virtual meeting of the Council of Ministers.

The Prime Minister has specified that the border provinces must be monitored closely with migrant workers returning home, many of them testing positive for the Delta variant, which is 50% more transmissible than the Alpha variant which is behind Cambodia’s current second wave. The Prime Minister says although Delta variant cases are increasing, they are not spreading into the community. He says health authorities are managing to contain cases at quarantine and treatment centres at the border.

He has also instructed all of Cambodia’s ministries to secure stocks of Rapid Antigen Tests so that these can be used quickly in the event of suspected direct or indirect exposure to a Covid-positive person.