COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia

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The COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia was a part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first imported case in Cambodia was detected in Sihanoukville on 27 January 2020.^[3] Although a number of imported cases and transmission to direct contacts were confirmed throughout 2020, no community transmission was detected until 29 November 2020.^[4] As of July 2021, Phnom Penh has been the most affected province with the majority of infections and deaths. Banteay Meanchey has the second-highest number of infections, whereas Kandal has second-highest number of deaths.^[5]

The public health response is led by the Ministry of Health with support from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization and Institut Pasteur du Cambodge.^[6][7][8] Contact tracing, quarantining, screening of arrivals^[9][10][11] and public messaging related to hygiene, social distancing and mask wearing^[12] have been central to the containment strategy. According to Global Health Security Index's report in 2019, Cambodia ranked 89th out of 195 countries in preparedness for infectious disease outbreak.^[13]

Cambodia's initial response was slow - during the initial outbreak in China, few international travel restrictions were introduced, Cambodian citizens were not evacuated from Wuhan and Prime Minister Hun Sen downplayed the threat.^[14][15] Cambodia allowed passengers of cruise ship MS Westerdam to disembark in February after it was refused entry to other countries.^[16][17][18] Starting in March as the pandemic spread globally, Cambodia established its national response committee,^[6] introduced restrictions on arrival,^[16][19] closed education institutions, garment factories and entertainment venues,^[20][21][22] and major public holidays were cancelled.^[23] A controversial State of Emergency Law was passed in April 2020 but has not been implemented to date.^[24] Most restrictions within the country were lifted by September.^[25] In November, some restrictions were reinstated in Phnom Penh and thousands of Cambodian government employees and contacts went into quarantine following a one day-visit by Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, who tested positive after arriving in Bangkok.^[26][10] On 29 November, the first community transmission cluster was detected in Phnom Penh,^[27] with the virus suspected to have entered the country sometime during October and circulated undetected.^[28] The country began its vaccination programme and detected its largest outbreak to date in February 2021^[29][30] thought to be related to a Phnom Penh quarantine breach that led to outbreaks at nightlife venues.^[31] Cambodia reported its first death on 11 March 2021.^[32] As Lineage B.1.1.7 spread in the capital's markets and garment factories, a curfew was later strengthened to the country's first lockdown across the entirety of Phnom Penh and Takhmau in April 2021 as the WHO warned Cambodia's healthcare system was at risk of becoming overwhelmed.^[33][34] Provincial authorities later introduced restrictions elsewhere as outbreaks occurred.^[35]

Cambodia's response up to July 2020 and its welcoming of the MS Westerdam were praised by the World Health Organization.^[36][37] Criticism has included Prime Minister Hun Sen's downplaying of the risk of an outbreak during the early stages of the pandemic,^{[17][38][15][14]} persecution of critics^[39][24] and testing and surveillance procedures, particularly in overcrowded prisons.^[40][7][41] The pandemic has had a severe impact on the economy, notably the tourism^[42][43] and garment^[20][44] sectors, with projections of a lasting increase in poverty, debt and unemployment.^[45][46][47]

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