Exactly one year ago today, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge (IPC) identified the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Cambodia. A long history of detecting and preventing emerging and endemic infectious diseases along with a rapid response to the global concern over “pneumonia of unknown origin” allowed IPC to be ready to test for SARS-CoV-2 in mid-January. Through quick response from IPC, the Ministry of Health/Cambodian Center for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, and many other partners, testing was ready and approved just in time to catch the first cases in Cambodia. Since that time, IPC has tested over 220,000 samples for SARS-CoV-2 and helped to diagnose 443 of Cambodia’s total 460 cases. IPC is committed to continue to work 7 days a week to keep Cambodia safe from SARS-CoV-2, and to share information and innovation globally to help in the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. As always, IPC thanks all of the staff members who contribute to the COVID-19 response, and also thanks the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization, all development partners, and donors for their continued support.
