Bangkok (VNA) – Many Southeast Asian countries have taken variousmeasures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus since the number ofinfections have increased in the nations recently.

The confirmed COVID-19 caseload in Thailand soared by 382 on December 21, 360of them were migrant workers from Myanmar who had close link to an outbreak ata wholesale seafood market in Samut Sakhon province near Bangkok.

The number of new infections surged due to intensive testing of thousands ofmigrant workers in the fishing industry.

Permanent secretary for public health Kiatiphum Wongrajit said the Thaiauthorities are testing 10,000 migrant Myanmar workers, and the number isexpected to increase to 40,000 in a bid to contain the outbreak within theprovince.

Samut Sakhon has been put under lockdown with a curfew from 10pm-5am in effectuntil January, together with social distancing and travel restriction.

Thailand has so far confirmed a total 5,289 COVID-19 cases, including 60deaths.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered the Health Ministry to allocate morefabric facemasks to the provinces bordering Thailand’s Samut Sakhon, with threemain border gates of O’ Smach, Daung and Poipet to receive a large number offacemasks.

Besides, localities having border with Thailand have prepared disposablefacemasks for migrant workers coming back to the country.

Earlier, Hun Sen announced to grant 50 million KHR (12,500 USD) for sevenprovinces bordering Thailand to cope with the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the Philippines documented 1,721 new cases and 10 deaths on December21, increasing the total infections to 461,505 and deaths to 8,957.

According to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire,the Philippines has ensured vaccination for some 22 million people, or 20percent of the population. Last month, the nation signed a deal withAstraZeneca to buy 2.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine. It targetsinoculation for around 60 million people in 3-5 years.

Amidst the complicated development of the pandemic, Indonesia and Myanmar haveenhanced restriction measures to prevent risks of new outbreaks duringChristmas and New Year Holiday.

As of December 21, the COVID-19 cases in Indonesiarose by 6,848 within one day to 671,778, with the death toll adding by 205 to20,085.Meanwhile, Myanmar logged 116,000 infections and 2,443 deaths ./.