AFP
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases continued to surge in continental Southeast Asia on Tuesday with a spike in Cambodia prompting the government to threaten legal action against journalists who cover stories in “red zone” areas with strict lockdowns.
Cambodia’s Ministry of Information said local and foreign media coverage of the red zone has “confused the public and provoked social chaos that will lead to more COVID-19 spreading.”
“In order to protect social security and prevent COVID-19 from spreading, the Ministry of Information is advising journalists to halt all actions immediately,” it said in a statement issued Tuesday. “In the event that people continue to ignore this notice, [we] will take legal action.”
RFA
Residents of Phnom Penh rushed to stock up on food and other supplies on Thursday as word spread of a lockdown ordered by Prime Minister Hun Sen to combat the coronavirus pandemic in the capital and surrounding Kandal province, sources said.
News of the planned April 15-28 lockdown, which leaked before an official announcement could be made, quickly drove up the prices of commodities as crowds filled local markets beginning Wednesday night, violating regulations restricting social contacts.
In a statement Thursday, Hun Sen urged Cambodian citizens not to panic, saying no one will go short of food in areas affected by the lockdown order.