Southeast Asia step up COVID-19 measures

After months of relatively low numbers of coronavirus cases and little impact surrounding the spread of the pandemic in much of Southeast Asia, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines were on Tuesday implementing emergency measures after experiencing spikes in infections.

Thailand has experienced a sharp rise in cases over the past three days, which led to the government on Tuesday introducing stricter measures including the closure of entertainment venues such as pubs and bars, boxing stadiums, massage parlours and cinemas, reports Efe news.

All public and private schools, universities, educational institutions will be closed from Wednesday for two weeks, while it has also been proposed that Songkran, the famous water festival in which most Thais travel to their home provinces to spend time with family, be cancelled.

Thailand currently has 177 cases, with the past three days experiencing jumps of 32, 33 and 30 new infections, respectively, after months of relatively low numbers of sporadic cases.

There has been one death so far. In a televised address to the nation on Monday night, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha reassured the public and defended the government's handling of the outbreak.

Also in a televised address on Monday night, Malaysia's new Prime Minster Muhyiddin Yassin banned citizens from going abroad and foreigners from entering from Wednesday until the end of the month.

Malaysians returning from overseas will have to undergo health checks and enter a 14-day self-quarantine.

Public gatherings, including religious events, sports events and cultural and social activities will be prohibited, while schools and tertiary institutions will be closed.

Malaysia currently has around 560 cases, with more than 300 thought to be linked to a gathering in a Kuala Lumpur mosque between February 28-March 1.

The event was attended by 16,000 people and has also reportedly led to infections in Thailand, Brunei, Singapore and Indonesia.

The Philippines government has also taken strong measures with the stock exchange closed from Tuesday, a day after President Rodrigo Duterte announced quarantine measures until April 12 for the entire island of Luzon, which holds the capital of Manila and with 57 million inhabitants. There has been no date set for its resumption.

The government is trying to stop the spread of the virus, which has so far infected 142 people in the country, and caused 12 deaths with more undetected cases suspected.

Duterte on Monday approved more strict quarantine measures in the capital and throughout Luzon, forcing people to stay home, suspending work, closing establishments, and a setting a curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. in Manila.