Geneva: WHO suggests South East Asia to initiate "aggressive measures" to fight against global COVID-19 pandemic as the South East Asia region comprises 11 countries, almost reported coronavirus cases.
As infections in the region continue to rise, countries are forced to close borders and schools, the BBC reported.Many regional countries outside South East Asia have had a slow response to the outbreak, taking drastic measures in recent weeks or days as the number of cases continue to grow.
Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director of the WHO South East Asia region says "more clusters of virus transmission are being confirmed and We clearly need to do more, and urgently."
Malaysia, has the highest number of cases in the region, does not impose strict social distancing until it saw a huge leap in the number of cases.Many of the infections have been linked to a religious gathering attended by around 16,000 people. Malaysia recently locked down its borders, banning the entry of all travellers, also the schools shut to take control over.
In Indonesia, which according to John Hopkins has 172 recorded cases of the virus, President Joko Widodo admits he had deliberately held back information about the spread of the virus to prevent panic.
The Philippines' Rodrigo Duterte had earlier in February joked that he wanted to "slap" the virus. The Philippines has now introduced sweeping quarantine measures that have left millions confined in the capital, Manila.
Myanmar and Laos have both not reported any cases of the virus – though experts have seriously doubted the credibility of this. While Myanmar's government claimed that people's "lifestyle and diet" have protected them from the virus.
