Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – All Cabinet members of Malaysia will contribute two months of their salaries to the Covid-19 Fund, according to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). In a photo taken on March 16, 2020, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin (centre) speaks during a press conference at the Prime Minister Office in Putrajaya, Malaysia. (Photo: straitstimes.com) This step is proof...

Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand banned the export of chicken eggs for seven days to ensure sufficient supply in the domestic market, starting from March 26. A vendor sells duck eggs in front of a sign reading "out of chicken eggs", at Pak Nam market in Samut Prakan province (Photo:https://www.bangkokpost.com/) Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce Jurin Laksanawisit said...

Hanoi (VNA) – Indonesia and Malaysia are doubling efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 as the numbers of infections and deaths have been increasing in recent days. Spraying disinfection at a station in Jakarta, Indonesia (Source: AFP/VNA) Indonesia’s Ministry of State-owned Enterprises (BUMN) is planning to convert current public works into hospitals to treat...

Singapore (VNA) – Singapore announced on March 24 that it will close bars, cinemas and all other entertainment outlets from 11:59pm on March 26 till April 30 to curb the spread of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. People wear face masks to precent SARS-CoV-2 (Source: AFP/VNA) In its latest announcement, the COVID-19 multi-ministry task force said that during the period, gatherings...

Hanoi (VNA) - The Ministry of Health and Sports of Myanmar on March 23 reported the two first cases of the acute respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). Myanmar people wear face masks (Source: Myanmar Times) The results from the Myanmar National Health Laboratory confirmed that a 36-year-old Myanmar man travelling back from the US and...

Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesian Vice President Ma'ruf Amin has called on Muslim clerics to issue fatwas to regulate the special circumstances that Muslims may find themselves in amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Indonesian Vice President Ma'ruf Amin (Photo: Jakarta Post) Ma'ruf, who also currently serves as the Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), said the MUI and other...

Jakarta (VNA) - Indonesia reported 64 new COVID-19 cases and 10 new deaths on March 22, bringing the total number to 514 and 48 respectively, said a local official. Nine COVID-19 patients have recovered, said the health ministry’s spokesman Achmad Yurianto, adding that the total number of recoveries has reached 29. Also on March 22, the Corruption Eradication Commission...

Bangkok (VNA) – The Bank of Thailand (BoT) has further cut its basic interest rate by 25 percentage point to the record low of 0.75 percent in an effort to buffer impact on the economy. Security forces conduct temperature checks in Bangkok, Thailand (Photo: AFP/VNA) This marks the fourth cut since August last year, approved during a special...

Hanoi (VNA) - Singapore is edging towards its first full-year recession in nearly two decades as neighboring Malaysia’s travel ban cuts off a key source of labor and its economy is hit by COVID-19 pandemic, forcing the central bank to loosen policy. Woodlands Causeway between Singapore and Malaysia (Photo: VNA) Economist Khoon Goh at ANZ bank warned that...

Phnom Penh (VNA) – Cambodia has recorded two more cases positive for the SARS-CoV-2, raising the total to 35, spokesperson of the country’s Ministry of Health Or Vandine said on March 18. Cambodian people wear face masks (Source: AFP/VNA) All schools across Cambodia have been ordered to close in an effort to counter the threat of the pandemic. On...