COVID-19: Cambodian prime minister in quarantine

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) – After meeting with a top Hungarian official who contracted COVID-19, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has gone into quarantine and canceled planned meetings.

Peter Szijjarto, Hungary’s minister of foreign affairs and trade, tested positive for coronavirus as he landed in Thailand on Tuesday after wrapping up a one-day trip to Cambodia.

Though his own coronavirus test came out negative, Sen confirmed on Facebook that he will isolate at home for 14 days.

“So, the King and Queen Mother, please forgive me for not escorting you when you return from the People’s Republic of China and celebrate Independence Day on November 9,” he said.

“The heads of states, [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] ASEAN governments and all relevant partners, please forgive me for not joining the [planned] meeting. I will assign representatives to join it from November 12-15, 2020.

“Though I can’t leave my house, I will still carry out work to examine, approve and sign various documents for the government,” he added.

The Cambodian Health Ministry also started contract tracing after Szijjarto was found positive.

“As of 11 pm on November 4, a total of 628 people, who were in contact with the Hungarian minister, had their samples tested at Institut Pasteur du Cambodge. Their tests proved negative for Covid-19.

“The ministry is identifying the contacts and informing the public when it gets a series of results of analytic samples,” said an official statement, Cambodian daily Phnom Penh Post reported.

Cambodia has reported only 292 COVID-19 cases, 286 of which were discharged from hospitals.

The Southeast Asian country has yet to report any deaths due to coronavirus.