Authorities in the Cambodian province of Preah Sihanouk have reiterated the designation of Sihanoukville and Prey Nop district as yellow zones, which prevents the operation of casinos.
Under Cambodia’s traffic light zoning system, areas under yellow are permitted greater economic activity and traffic flow than the more serious red but still remain under curfew with all large gatherings banned.
According to a report by The Khmer Times, authorities in Sihanoukville have specifically cited gambling activities among those that are not allowed while the city remains a yellow zone. There have now been 4,579 cases of COVID-19 in the province since the so-called 20 February community event, when four Chinese nationals bribed their way out of a quarantine hotel and visited a series of nightclubs. Two of those Chinese nationals later tested positive for COVID-19, setting in motion Cambodia’s first major outbreak.
Sihanoukville was one of the first areas impacted by the outbreak, having placed a ban on all people entering or leaving the city in early March.
As reported by Inside Asian Gaming, Cambodia’s capital city of Phnom Penh was forced to introduce a raft of new COVID-19 restrictions last week following a resurgence in case numbers since previous restrictions were eased.
NagaWorld, the only legal casino within a 200km radius of Phnom Penh, has been closed since 1 March after 11 staff members tested positive.
Cambodia reported 631 new cases of COVID-19 nationwide on Sunday.