Laos continues to have great success at combatting the spread of the virus. A spike of 14 cases were detected but these patients were all in quarantine and are being treated at government facilities. All patients arrived on a charter flight. The Government has responded by prohibiting all charter flights in and out of Laos. It is currently unclear how long this ban will last.
There are currently no known cases of community transmission in Laos.
A Chinese national who reportedly entered Laos illegal and has since returned to China has tested positive for COVID. This person reportedly spent time in Boten District of Luang Namtha Province. Boten District has since been locked down with travel in and out of the district currently prohibited. Unconfirmed reports on social media suggest that police in the area are being extremely vigilant and have told foreigners to leave the province.
Elsewhere in Laos the situation is extremely positive. People can move around freely and mask use is not mandatory. Remote villages are wary of strangers, however large towns and cities are happy to see visitors. The Lao Thiao Lao (Lao Travel Lao) campaign to promote domestic tourism is in full swing with great deals on hotels and flights available for everyone in Laos.
For anyone stuck in Laos and trying to leave, options are extremely limited. All land borders remain closed. All charter flights are currently suspended. There is a weekly World Food Program flight but that is only available to NGO and embassy staff. If you need to leave Laos, please seek advice from your embassy.
For travelers stuck in Laos, the government continues to offer unlimited visa extensions for tourist visas.
