In order to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection in the country, all workers and civil servants in all sectors have to work as normal on the Khmer New Year celebrations, announced Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, at a press conference here at the Peace Palace this morning.
Working at factories and other workplaces are safer than travelling during the Khmer New Year as COVID-19 pandemic remains a major concern, he added.
The Premier called for understanding from all civil servants and workers, underlining that the Royal Government will return the five-day holidays when the situation gets better.
Samdech Techo Hun Sen also appealed to his compatriots to reduce the travelling from Phnom Penh to the countryside, to their homeland and tourist attractions; and enhance the personal, family, and community hygiene, especially keep social distancing to prevent the contamination of COVID-19 pandemic.
Cambodian people are going to celebrate their traditional New Year next week from April 13 to 16. Generally, people go to pagoda, return to their homeland, travel to different tourism destinations, visit their respective family members and relatives as well as have social activities.
There is no Khmer New Year holidays this year, but Samdech Techo Hun Sen said ritual ceremonies will continue to be held at our respective homes.
“We can organise a welcome ceremony for new Tevoda (angel) at our respective homes, go to pagoda, but public gathering and traditional entertainment activities are not recommended […],” he said.
As of 07:00 am on April 7, 2020, Cambodia has recorded in total 115 COVID-19 confirmed cases, including 49 Cambodians, 40 French, 13 Malaysians, 5 British, 2 Americans, 2 Indonesians, one Canadian, one Belgian, one Chinese, and one Vietnamese. Of them, 58 have been successfully cured.
World Health Organisation has reported that globally, as of 2:00 am CEST, April 7, 2020, there were 1,214,973 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 67,841 deaths. Among them, Europe had in total 655,339 confirmed cases, the U.S. 352,600 confirmed cases, Western Pacific 112,578 confirmed cases, Eastern Mediterranean 77,359 confirmed cases, South-East Asia 9,132 confirmed cases, and Africa 6,986 confirmed cases.