![]() The region will now face the prospects of a global shock and recession. 1 Southeast Asian economies were already experiencing the negative effects of global trade tensions when the virus struck. In early April, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) revised downward its growth forecasts for the 10 ASEAN countries from 4.4% in 2019 to 1% in 2020. Singapore and Viet Nam have implemented preventive and containment measures coping with the Covid-19 outbreak that include test, track and trace, which could provide guidance to other countries in the region and farther afield. However, travel restrictions for foreign visitors are still enforced. ![]() Nationwide lockdowns and enhanced community quarantine implemented in a number of countries are gradually being relaxed in some of them such as Malaysia, Thailand and Viet Nam and economic activities are starting to pick up. The number of confirmed cases are still on the rise in the region, but the rate of increase is generally slowing down. As of 4 May, there were 3,529,808 cases worldwide and over 49,900 cases in Southeast Asia. ![]() Southeast Asia was one of the first regions affected due to its close geographical proximity and business travel, tourism and supply chain links to China. On 30 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the People’s Republic of China a global health emergency.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |