A Justice Ministry official issued a warning at a Health Ministry press conference on vaccinations on Friday that sharing “fake news” on social media violates the country’s incitement laws.
The government raised fines for people escaping quarantine from 1 million to 5 million riel, and for private health facilities failing to notify authorities about evaders from 10 million to 50 million riel, or about $250 to $1,250 and $2,500 to $12,500, respectively.
The World Health Organization on Tuesday announced its approval of the AstraZeneca/Oxford-developed Covid-19 vaccine, one of three coronavirus vaccines Cambodia has authorized for use in the country.
The government for the first time reported cases of a more virulent coronavirus variant, as Prime Minister Hun Sen suggested increased fines for eluding quarantine, and a man returning to the country through an illegal border crossing was seriously injured by a landmine.
The Cambodian Embassy in Vietnam this week cautioned Cambodians living in the neighboring country to abide by its Covid-19 procedures or face fines and potentially up to 12 years in prison.
Prime Minister Hun Sen’s son Hun Many and son-in-law Dy Vichea missed out on their Covid-19 jabs due to health issues as four participating hospitals in the country’s vaccination rollout gave out 339 shots on the first day — toward an ultimate target of 10 million people vaccinated.
Senior government officials and journalists have been put at the front of the line for Covid-19 vaccinations starting Wednesday at four state hospitals, with the Health Ministry saying some with preexisting health conditions should not be vaccinated.
Defense Minister Tea Banh had already received his Covid-19 vaccine jab ahead of the planned rollout of 600,000 doses of Sinopharm shots next week when Prime Minister Hun Sen backed out Friday evening, saying he was advised he was too old.
Garments exports dropped 9 percent last year, the manufacturers association estimated this week, amid a brutal year for the industry in which the Labor Ministry says more than 70,000 jobs were lost.
Five days after returning from Thailand, a 53-year-old man died from a heart attack on Friday during his quarantine period, Banteay Meanchey provincial authorities said.
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