PHNOM PENH, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Saturday confirmed 179 new COVID-19 cases, the highest-ever one-day number of infections, said a Ministry of Health (MoH) statement.

The figure surpassed the previous highest daily record of 105 cases on March 15.

The new infections included 178 local cases and one imported case. Among the local cases, 143 were in Preah Sihanouk province, 27 in capital Phnom Penh, four in Kandal province, three in Prey Veng province and one in Siem Reap province, the statement said.

The imported case was detected on a 31-year-old Cambodian man returning to the country on Thursday from Japan via a connecting flight in South Korea, it added.

MoH's secretary of state and spokeswoman Or Vandine said the current local infection rate of COVID-19 is alarming, calling on people to strictly follow health guidelines.

"Please do not leave home if unnecessary and mind your children," she said. "Currently, the new COVID-19 variants are actively circulating in capital Phnom Penh as well as several provinces."

Vandine said the new COVID-19 variants are more contagious and deadly than the original strain.

Cambodia has reported a total of 2,147 confirmed COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, with nine deaths and 1,132 recoveries, the MoH said.

The country launched an anti-COVID-19 vaccination drive on Feb. 10. As of Friday, more than 366,000 people in priority groups had been vaccinated against the virus, according to a government report. Enditem

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