Vietnam’s health ministry on Thursday, January 28, confirmed its first two locally transmitted COVID-19 cases in nearly two months, just weeks before the country’s Lunar New Year holiday period, when big gatherings indoors are expected.

Though a tiny number compared with new coronavirus infections in many countries, the two cases are a jolt for Vietnam. Thanks to strict quarantine, testing, and tracing measures, it has reported only 1,551 cases and 35 COVID-19 deaths before Thursday, earning it a top 3 spot in a survey of how well countries have handled the pandemic.

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Thailand is targeting the immunization of 19 million people against the coronavirus in a first phase of inoculations starting on February 14, the prime minister said on Wednesday, January 27, amid criticism the government has been slow in rolling out vaccines.

Inoculations will begin with 50,000 doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine, Prayuth Chan-ocha said. He gave no timeline for the first phase.

By May, Thailand will have received 150,000 doses from AstraZeneca.

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Malaysia reported 3,680 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, January 27, raising the cumulative total to 194,114 infections.

The health ministry also reported 7 new deaths, bringing Malaysia’s total fatalities from the pandemic to 707.

Indonesia’s Mount Merapi volcano on Java island erupted on Wednesday, January 27, sending up a cloud of ash and prompting authorities to warn of the risk of lava flows reaching roads, officials said.

The 2,963 m (9,721 ft) high Merapi is one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes and is already on the country’s second highest alert level.

Kasbani, the head of Indonesia’s volcanology and geological hazard mitigation center, said Merapi had spewed “quite intense” hot clouds at least 30 times since Wednesday morning and warned of a danger of lava cutting roads near the volcano.

Photographs shared on social media showed ash covering the homes of some nearby residents.

There were no immediate reports of damage, but some residents had chosen to leave their homes, said the local disaster mitigation agency.

Located on the so-called “Ring of Fire,” Indonesia has more volcanoes than any other country and Merapi violently erupted in 2010, killing more than 350 people.

Thailand on Wednesday, January 27, said it would reopen most schools including those the capital Bangkok from next week, in response to localized declines in new coronavirus infections.

The education ministry ordered schools closed in 28 provinces at the beginning of January. It will restart classes in all but one of those from Monday, January 31, Education Minister Natthapol Teepsuwan told reporters.

The move follows an easing of some curbs last week in Bangkok, including on some sports and leisure activities, but bars and night entertainment venues remain closed. The announcement comes despite the country reporting on Wednesday its second-highest number of new daily coronavirus cases, with 819 infections.

The majority of those came as a result of mass testing in Samut Sakhon province, the epicenter of the most recent outbreak. Its schools will remain closed.

Thailand has reported a total of 15,465 cases, more than two thirds of those since mid-December. It has recorded 76 coronavirus-related fatalities.

A Malaysian court ordered on Wednesday, January 27, the immediate release of a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane detained in the Southeast Asian nation nearly two weeks ago over a British court case about its lease.

Malaysia seized the Boeing 777 aircraft on Jan. 15 after a court allowed an application by lessor Peregrine Aviation Charlie Limited to keep it grounded until the result of a $14-million lease dispute with PIA in Britain.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court ordered the release after both sides said they had reached an amicable settlement of the dispute, involving two planes leased to PIA, a lawyer for the airline said.

“Peregrine has agreed to withdraw its suit against Pakistan International Airlines Corp (PIAC) and for the injunction orders to be set aside,” said its lawyer, Kwan Will Sen.

“With this, the two Boeing aircraft operated by PIAC would be released with immediate effect.”

Pakistan’s national carrier is now readying a crew for the plane to resume a passenger flight home by Friday, January 29, its spokesman, Abdullah Khan, said.

The two jets, leased in 2015 by Dublin-based AerCap, the world’s largest aircraft lessor, are part of a fleet it sold to Peregrine Aviation Co Ltd, an investment unit of NCB Capital, the brokerage arm of National Commercial Bank SJSC, in 2018.

AerCap, which continued as part of the agreement to provide lease management services to Peregrine, has declined to make any comment. Lawyers for Peregrine did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Indonesia reported a record daily increase in coronavirus deaths on Wednesday, January 27, with 387 new fatalities, data from the country’s COVID-19 task force showed.

This brought the total number of deaths to 28,855.

The Southeast Asian nation also recorded 11,948 new coronavirus infections, bringing the total number of cases to 1,024,298.

Myanmar on Wednesday January 27, 2021 started vaccinating medical workers with the AstraZeneca’s COVISHIELD coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine. Photos here show the program in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. The country received 1.5 million doses of the vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. All photos by REUTERS/Thar Byaw