Phnom Penh: The Kingdom of Cambodia has now recorded over 1,000 cases of the Delta variant of Covid-19, and most of them are in Phnom Penh. According to the last update from the Ministry of Health, which was on Friday, 999 cases had already been reported. The weekend’s numbers have yet to come in.

It’s been barely three months since the first case of the Delta variant was detected in Cambodia on the 4th of June. It has now spread to every province in the kingdom, except for Kep and Kratie. Of the kingdom’s Delta cases, the majority are in Phnom Penh, which had 238 as of Friday last week. Oddar Meanchey had 176, Banteay Meanchey had 146 and Siem Reap had 138. The Ministry of Health says that the Delta variant was first detected among migrant workers returning from Thailand, but has now spread into communities across the country.

During Prime Minister Hun Sen’s announcement on Thursday last week ending the 21-day ‘Campaign to strengthen measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, he said that over the past three weeks, the community transmission rate of Covid-19 had shown a steady decline, even as the number of Delta cases continues to climb. Although ended nationwide, Phnom Penh still continues to implement restrictions such as a ban on gatherings of more than 15 people, the continued suspension of high-risk businesses and of alcohol sales. Those measures are due to expire on Thursday, but could well be extended given the number of Delta cases in the capital.

At the same time, the World Health Organisation’s representative to Cambodia, Dr. Li Ailan, has praised the rapid response of the Royal Government to the crisis, especially in its swift vaccination program, including the provision of booster shots to frontline workers. She says Cambodia has developed a well-responding strategy and policy, focusing on the implementation of effective interventions – that all bode well for the kingdom’s fight against the pandemic.