Cambodia's new virus rules restrain holiday celebrations

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodians marked their Independence Day holiday Monday, but new coronavirus restrictions kept them from celebrating at karaoke parlors, beer gardens, museums, cinemas and other entertainment venues which have been ordered shut until further notice.

Students in Phnom Penh, the capital, and the satellite town of Kandal will not return Tuesday to their schools, which were shut for two weeks by an Education Ministry order to contain the virus.

The new restrictions were issued by the Health Ministry on Sunday because Hungary’s foreign minister tested positive for the coronavirus after visiting Cambodia last week.

Peter Szijjarto tested positive upon arrival in Thailand on Tuesday following a one-day Cambodia visit. He was placed in quarantine in Bangkok before leaving for Hungary on Wednesday.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen announced Saturday that a Cambodian bodyguard for Szijjarto had tested positive for the coronavirus. A second round of tests on Monday discovered three more infected people among the 900 who were involved with Szijjarto’s visit: a lawmaker from Hun Sen’s ruling Cambodian People’s Party, a senior Agriculture Ministry official, and Hungary's ambassador to Cambodia and Vietnam.

Hun Sen and four Cabinet ministers went into quarantine because they met with Szijjarto the same day he tested positive. Hun Sen said he will stay quarantined for 14 days, and announced Monday on his Facebook page that he, his wife and other members of their household have all tested negative twice.

All of the people involved with the Hungarian foreign minister’s trip are to be tested four times during their 14-day quarantine period.

Education Ministry spokesperson Ros Soveacha issued a statement Monday saying Phnom Penh’s Olympic...