Southeast Asia coronavirus update

Health officials praise Laos after coronavirus-free declaration (some new concerns here, so far nothing major)

Cambodia has zero reported deaths, broadly consistent with anecdotal evidence too.

Vietnam reports 14 new cases, all imported.  Broader record of zero deaths.

No new Covid cases in Thailand Tuesday.

Have you noticed that those four countries are right next to each other?  (Within southeast Asia, most cases are in the relatively distant Indonesia and Philippines.)

I genuinely do not understand why this heterogeneity is not discussed much, much more.

Those countries also have very different institutions and systems of government and state capacity.  Do you really think this is all because they are such policy geniuses?

Those countries have instituted some good policies, to be sure.  But so has Australia, where there is a major coronavirus resurgence.

Inquiring minds wish to know.  One hypothesis is that they have a less contagious strain, another is that they have accumulated T-cell immunities from previous coronaviruses.  Or perhaps both?  Or perhaps other factors are playing a role?

I do not understand why the world is not obsessed with this question.  And should you be happy if you have, in the past, traveled to these countries as a tourist?

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