COVID-19 pandemic in Southeast Asia

The COVID-19 pandemic in Southeast Asia is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It was confirmed to have spread to Southeast Asia on 13 January 2020, when a 61-year-old woman from Wuhan tested positive in Thailand, making it the first country other than China to report a case.[2] The first death occurred on 2 February, involving a 44-year-old Chinese man in the Philippines, also the first outside China.[3] By 24 March, all states in the region had announced at least one case.

COVID-19 pandemic in Southeast Asia
DiseaseCOVID-19
Virus strainSARS-CoV-2
LocationSoutheast Asia
First outbreakWuhan, Hubei, China
Index caseBangkok, Thailand
Arrival date13 January 2020
(3 years, 9 months, 1 week and 5 days)
Confirmed cases35,910,444[1]
Active cases95,885[1]
Recovered35,447,220[1]
Deaths
367,339[1]
Fatality rate1.02%
Territories
11 countries[1]
Government website
ASEAN COVID-19 Cases

As of 25 October 2023, Vietnam has the highest number of cases, ahead of Indonesia and Malaysia, while Indonesia has the highest number of deaths. On the other hand, East Timor has the least cases and deaths.

Background

On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan, Hubei, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.[4][5]

The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003,[6][7] but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.[8][6]

Timeline

Southeast Asia was among the first regions to be affected by the pandemic. Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Malaysia reported the index cases in January 2020, while the rest were in March.

Southeast Asia faced its first wave in January 2021 by reporting more than 15,000 cases daily, mostly contributed by Indonesia. The second rise in infections began in early June amidst of the surge of the Delta variant, and peaked from July to August when the region averaged almost 100,000 cases and 3,000 deaths daily. All countries had its cases rising rapidly, leading to lockdowns and activities restrictions.

The third wave hit Southeast Asia in February 2022 as it reported more than 200,000 cases daily due to the spread of the Omicron variant. However, the death number was four to six times lower than the previous peak.

Confirmed cases

Brunei
Main article: COVID-19 pandemic in Brunei

Brunei confirmed its first case on 9 March 2020 in Tutong, involving a 53-year-old man who had returned from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 3 March.[9] It has spread to all districts of Brunei.

Cambodia
Main article: COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia

On 27 January 2020, Cambodia announced its first case in Sihanoukville. It involved a 60-year-old Chinese man who had travel history to Wuhan with his family.[10]

East Timor
Main article: COVID-19 pandemic in East Timor

East Timor confirmed its first COVID-19 case on 21 March 2020. It was an imported case and its origin is unknown.[11]

Indonesia
Main article: COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia

Indonesia reported its first cases on 2 March 2020, after a dance instructor and her mother were tested positive for the virus. Both were in contact with a Japanese national who was later tested positive in Malaysia.[12] By 9 April, it had spread to all 34 provinces in the country. Jakarta, West Java, and Central Java are the worst-hit provinces.

Laos
Main article: COVID-19 pandemic in Laos

Laos confirmed its first cases on 24 March 2020, becoming the last country in Southeast Asia to report COVID-19 cases.[13]

Malaysia
Main article: COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia

Malaysia announced its first cases on 25 January 2020. It started when eight Chinese nationals were quarantined at a hotel in Johor Bahru on 24 January after coming into contact with an infected person in neighbouring Singapore.[14] Despite early reports of them tested negative for the virus,[15] three of them were confirmed to be infected on 25 January and subsequently quarantined at the Sungai Buloh Hospital in Selangor.

Myanmar
Main article: COVID-19 pandemic in Myanmar

The pandemic reached Myanmar on 23 March 2020. Its first two cases involved a 36-year-old man travelling back from the United States and a 26-year-old man returning from Great Britain. Both were Myanma nationals and had tested positive.[16]

Philippines
Main article: COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines

On 30 January 2020, the Philippines confirmed its first case in Metro Manila. It involved a 38-year-old Chinese woman from Wuhan who was confined in San Lazaro Hospital in Manila. The second case was confirmed on 2 February, involving a 44-year-old Chinese man who died a day earlier, which was also the first confirmed death from the disease outside mainland China.

Singapore
Main article: COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore

Singapore reported its first case on 23 January 2020, involving a 66-year-old Chinese man who flew in from Guangzhou with his family.[17]

Thailand
Main article: COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand

Thailand became the first country outside China to report a case. Its first case was on 13 January 2020, involving a 61-year-old Chinese woman who was a resident of Wuhan. She flew with her family to Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok on 8 January where she was detected using a thermal surveillance and then hospitalised. A few days later she was tested positive for the virus.

Vietnam
Main article: COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam

On 23 January 2020, it was confirmed that the pandemic had spread to Vietnam, when a 66-year-old Chinese man travelling from epicenter Wuhan to Hanoi to visit his son tested positive. His son contracted the virus from his father when they met in Nha Trang.[18]

Statistics
COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia (as of 2 May 2023)[1]
Countries or territoriesIndex case(s) Cases Recoveries Deaths Active
Date[lower-alpha 1] Location 35,910,444 35,447,220 367,339 95,885
 Brunei 9 March Tutong 285,740 285,515 225 0
 Cambodia 27 January Sihanoukville 138,733 135,675 3,056 2
 East Timor 21 March Unknown 23,428 23,102 138 188
 Indonesia 2 March Kemang 6,776,984 6,601,452 161,327 14,205
 Laos 24 March Vientiane 218,077 217,290 758 29
 Malaysia 25 January Johor Bahru 5,071,840 5,020,529 37,020 14,291
 Myanmar 23 March Tedim 634,983 614,869 19,492 622
 Philippines 30 January Manila 4,095,468 4,021,987 66,444 7,037
 Singapore 23 January Sentosa 2,368,597 2,347,000 1,727 19,870
 Thailand 13 January Bangkok 4,732,301 4,692,636 33,957 5,708
 Vietnam 23 January Ho Chi Minh City 11,564,293 11,487,165 43,195 33,933

Notes
  1. All occurred in 2020.

References
  1. "COVID-19 Update". 5 November 2022.
  2. Cheung, Elizabeth (13 January 2020). "Thailand confirms first case of Wuhan virus outside China". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 13 January 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  3. Ramzy, Austin; May, Tiffany (2 February 2020). "Philippines Reports First Coronavirus Death Outside China". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  4. Elsevier. "Novel Coronavirus Information Center". Elsevier Connect. Archived from the original on 30 January 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  5. Reynolds, Matt (4 March 2020). "What is coronavirus and how close is it to becoming a pandemic?". Wired UK. ISSN 1357-0978. Archived from the original on 5 March 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  6. "Crunching the numbers for coronavirus". Imperial News. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  7. "High consequence infectious diseases (HCID); Guidance and information about high consequence infectious diseases and their management in England". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  8. "World Federation Of Societies of Anaesthesiologists – Coronavirus". www.wfsahq.org. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  9. "Latest news – Detection of the First Case of COVID-19 Infection". Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  10. "Cambodia confirms first case of coronavirus: Health minister". CNA Asia. 27 January 2020. Archived from the original on 27 January 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  11. "East Timor Confirms First Case of Coronavirus: Health Ministry". The New York Times. Reuters. 21 March 2020. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  12. "Indonesia confirms first cases of coronavirus". Bangkok Post. Reuters. 2 March 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  13. "Laos Confirms First Covid-19 Cases". 24 March 2020. Archived from the original on 24 March 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  14. Loh, Ivan (24 January 2020). "Wuhan virus: Eight in isolation in JB after coming into contact with Singapore victim". The Star. Archived from the original on 17 February 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  15. "Eight Chinese tourists show no coronavirus symptoms in Johor Baru". The Malay Mail. Bernama. 24 January 2020. Archived from the original on 17 February 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  16. hermesauto (24 March 2020). "Myanmar confirms first two coronavirus cases". The Straits Times. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  17. Abdullah, Zhaki; Salamat, Hidayah (23 January 2020). "Singapore confirms first case of Wuhan virus". CNA. Archived from the original on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  18. Hai ca dương tính nCoV đang điều trị tại BV Chợ Rẫy. Ministry of Health (Vietnam). 30 June 2020.
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