Lao migrants returning from Thailand have spiked Covid-19 cases in the neighbouring country as they took the coronavirus home with them.
Laos reported 56 new cases on Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
The Lao government said 45 new transmissions were registered in Champassak province, 44 of them in workers returning from Thailand, the Vientiane Times reported on Wednesday.
Dr Ratsamy Syphan, who is in charge of the Covid-19 taskforce in the southern Lao province, told English-language state media that the new infections were imported by Lao labourers who lost their jobs in Thailand or wanted to escape the surge in the kingdom to stay with their families in their home country.
Laos has seen a steady rise of new virus transmissions since the beginning of this month. The infections more than doubled from Thursday to 56 on Monday and Tuesday, Johns Hopkins University data shows.
Thousands of Lao nationals have returned since the pandemic hit Thailand last year, according to the Vientiane Times.
Champassak borders Ubon Ratchathani, which is the key gateway to southern Laos.