Dear Compatriots,
The fourth test or the last one has proved that my wife and I, and people working in our house, are Covid-19 negative. Stemming from this result, starting from tomorrow, 19 November 2020, I will bring myself for physical exercises outside my house as I have been doing before November 4. However, I would not allow my children and grandchildren to come over to visit us because I wanted to make sure that I would not be the cause of transmission to them. This is a father’s and a grandfather’s mind and heart for children and grandchildren – and that would be safety for them.
While waiting for tests results of others involved, I can share with you that the November-3 Event will come to its complete end of quarantine at the following dates:
- 19 November 2020, in Phnom Penh, will end their quarantines are 1,569 people (five Hungarians, four of them are covid-19 negative, the Hungarian Ambassador also included) and one is recovered from it – quarantined at the Cambodia-Soviet Friendship Hospital). In Kandal province, will end their quarantines are 67 people, in Pursat province – 40 people, Prey Veng province – 23 people, and Kompong Thom province – three people.
- 21 November 2020, will end quarantines are 11 people in Kompong Chhnang province.
- 23 November 2020, will end their quarantines are 18 people in Kep province, 40 people in the Preah Sihanouk province, and 1 person in Kompong Cham province.
- 25 November 2020, will end their quarantines are 20 people in Preah Vihear province and 10 people in Ratanakiri province.
Let me remind the local authorities, where there are people still in quarantines and have not yet reached their last date, to instruct them to continue their quarantines properly. Failing to do so would put us in jeopardy of going to another 14 days quarantine again. The instruction of the Ministry of Health has been that the 14 days quarantine starts counting from the first day of taking sample for test.
That we are able to close this episode of quarantine was because we had been able to round up 1,802 people in the capital and 11 provinces for tests and proper quarantines, a process by which I have been in serious discussion with Minister and leadership of the Ministry of Health.
The “November-3 Event” operation has been wide ranging and complicated in searching for those involved as it culminated in numerous people in many cities, districts, communes and villages. Thanks to correct leadership, efforts, solidarity and good cooperation, we have been able to identify related ones without losing a single trace as losing it could have been a cause of disastrous community transmission.
The experience as well as lessons learnt from the past have been based on our speedy effort to manage in a timely manner and cooperation from every involved persons to identify target persons directly and indirectly to get sampling for tests and to send in for the 14 days quarantines.
Taking this moment, allow me to thank every actors profoundly, especially those frontline physicians who have been courageous to confront this menacing pandemic and tirelessly working days and nights. Please allow me to send my respect and thanks to the Cambodian Pasteur Institute and the National Institute of Public Health for the efforts made to carry out testing with high responsibility.
I also owe thanks to those who have involved in the quarantines – directly and indirectly – for their patience in living separately for 14 days as required.
Dear Compatriots,
To declare ending the “November-3 Event” does not mean that we end our efforts to combat Covid-19. On the contrary, we must make further efforts to prevent this hidden killer by wearing facemasks, washing hands, and maintaining social safety distancing, etc., as instructed by the Ministry of Health. Let us remember that people in the world as a whole and the Cambodian people in particular hate Covid-19 but it does not hate us but love us and its love for us will cause us health damages and deaths.
Let us bear in mind that that Cambodia has had less number of infected people and fatality is not because we Cambodians, as some people said it, are immune by the Angkorian red blood cells against Covid-19. [I hope those who have said this are courageous to help serve the Covid-19 patients without wearing personal protective gears to see if they really are not infected, and the so-called “special red blood cell” Cambodians have to wear no masks. If they can prove their arguments right, the World Health Organization would recognize them as the second-to-none scientists in the world]. (And, Let us bear in mind that that Cambodia has had less number of infected people and fatality) is not because we Cambodians are living in climate that is not transmittable by Covid-19.
Our success has happened because we have made efforts altogether – the royal institution, legislative and executive bodies, where the Ministry of Health, especially the effective medical teams, and more importantly every Cambodian people taking parts in implementing measures issued by the Royal Government, the Ministry of Health, every level of local authorities. I am taking this opportune moment to express my sincere thanks to every compatriots and the Buddhist monks and charitable persons for their contributions financially and materially for the sake of combating this menacing pandemic.
We are closing down the “November-3 Event” so that the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, and the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training can prepare for the reopening of schools and vocational schools, as well as every sectors can return to regular activities as before November-3. However, combating Covid-19 is still the work of priority for us all.
The “November-3 Event” has taught us, reminded us, advised us and instructed us to be vigilant always to win over Covid-19. Preventing it is a better approach than curing.
May peace and progress come to our compatriots./.
