A two-week stay-at-home lockdown was imposed in Cambodia's coastal city of Preah Sihanouk on Friday in efforts to curb a surge in the local COVID-19 cases.
The Southeast Asian nation on Friday logged 655 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 113 in Preah Sihanouk province, the Ministry of Health said, adding that the kingdom has so far recorded a total of 8,848 confirmed cases with 61 deaths.
Preah Sihanouk city of Preah Sihanouk province is located about 230 km southwest of Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia.
According to Preah Sihanouk provincial governor Kuoch Chamroeun, during the lockdown to last until May 6, all local residents are prohibited from leaving home except for those going outdoors for health reasons or emergency situations.
Residents are also permitted to go out to buy food or other necessities, but only one or two members of a family will be allowed for not more than two trips a week, he said, adding that they must visit the market nearest to home carrying the identification card.
People traveling to the work site or to do business during the lockdown must show their travel permits issued by companies or local authorities, the governor said, adding that such travels are permitted only between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. in the morning and between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the evening.
"The lockdown is aimed at ensuring the effectiveness in controlling the spread of COVID-19 in Preah Sihanouk city, and is to prevent the disease from spreading to other areas," Chamroeun said.
It is the third Cambodian city put under lockdown after the kingdom has ordered a two-week lockdown in Phnom Penh and its adjacent Ta Khmau city from April 15 to 28.
Cambodia has been suffering from the third community outbreak of COVID-19 since Feb. 20. In a bid to prevent the virus' spread, the country has also banned inter-provincial travel from April 6 to 28 and has closed down all schools, tourist attractions, sports facilities, museums, cinemas, and entertainment venues nationwide.
