30 December 2021. The Laos National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control reported that there were 1,272 new cases of community spread across the country. Laos now has 360 confirmed deaths and 110,054 total cases of Covid-19.https://laotiantimes.com/2021/12/30/laos-confirms-1272-new-cases-of-covid-19-and-five-deaths/

30 December 2021. Thailand has detected 740 cases of the Omicron variant, comprising 489 overseas arrivals and 251 local infections. Omicron infections have already been found in at least 33 provinces, of which 19 are known to have cases from local infections.https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010592

29 December 2021. Vietnam reported 13,889 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, including 13,873 locally transmitted and 16 imported. Infections brought the country’s total tally to 1,694,874 with 31,877 deaths.https://www.xinhuanet.com/english/asiapacific/20211229/f4fe2cd049b3447485b708e89fb1b737/c.html

29 December 2021. China recorded 197 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, as the nation battles an outbreak in the city of Xi’an that forced its 13 million residents into a strict lockdown last week. According to state-run People’s Daily, China has reported a total of 101,683 Covid-19 cases and 4,636 deaths.https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/omicron-variant-coronavirus-news-12-29-21/h_1d2d0b2d7b4328d016b50ef9ae913fc5

29 December 2021. WHO warned that the Omicron variant could lead to overwhelmed healthcare systems. Cambodia’s Omicron infections jumped to 33 since the first cases were detected on December 14.https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50996924/who-warns-of-omicron-overload-as-cambodias-cases-increase-to-33-since-december-14/

29 December 2021. Thailand has now reported 740 cases of the Omicron variant. Two separate outbreaks from Kap Choeng district (Surin, Thailand) directly borders Cambodia. Three Omicron cases have been found in the district and 49 people are at ‘high risk’, which will heighten fears of Omicron entering Cambodia via land border crossings.https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50997271/foriegn-super-spreaders-responsible-for-at-least-250-omicron-cases-in-thailand-as-total-new-variant-cases-surge-to-740/

29 December 2021. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has continued to increase in Xi’an, Shaanxi province (China), as the city stepped up mass nucleic acid tests and found more risk areas. Xi’an reported 175 of Shaanxi’s 180 confirmed cases on Monday, bringing the city’s total number of confirmed cases to 811.https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202112/29/WS61cbbeb6a310cdd39bc7e0b7.html

29 December 2021. Myanmar confirmed its first four cases of the highly infectious Omicron variant of COVID-19 from returnees from Dubai, raising fears that the country is set to experience another devastating wave of coronavirus.https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-records-first-cases-of-omicron-covid-19-variant.html

28 December 2021. Vietnam District and village authorities will be tasked with policing parties and gatherings, which will be promptly shut down and violators detained. The notice comes amid fears of an outbreak of the Omicron variant.https://laotiantimes.com/2021/12/28/covid-curbs-dampen-new-year-celebrations-vientiane-capital/

28 December 2021. Xi’an, capital of Shaanxi province, has tightened control measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus after the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the city continued to witness sharp growth.https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202112/28/WS61ca7d45a310cdd39bc7ddfc.html