Prime Minister Hun Sen celebrated the low rates of illness and death from tuberculosis (TB) in Cambodia. The Kingdom’s statistics are now lower than many other countries, with the death rate dropping from 42 per 100,000 people in 2000 to just 20 in 2020, indicating a drop of 52 per cent.
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a concern in Cambodia despite a steady decline in mortality and infection rates – with many cases remaining undiagnosed and causing active community transmission, according to a senior official at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Cambodia.
A senior Ministry of Health official said Cambodia has so far detected more than 200 cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant, both from abroad and within the community, though none of the patients has had any serious health problems thus far.
Cambodia plans to administer a fourth dose of Covid-19 vaccine – a second booster shot – to 500,000 frontline health workers including members of the armed forces, according to Prime Minster Hun Sen.
Health officials have predicted that the Omicron coronavirus variant will spread widely across the globe in 2022, with Cambodia reporting four imported cases in one week. “I predict that 2022 will be the year of Omicron travelling around the world including Cambodia. So, be vigilant and be prepared for any surge,” Ministry of Health spokeswoman Or Vandine tweeted on December 19.