VIENTIANE, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Laos continues to administer the first batch of China-donated COVID-19 vaccine among specific group of people with higher infection risks, which is expected to be completed by March 20.

A ceremony is held in Vientiane, the capital city of Laos, on February 8 to mark the delivery of a batch of Chinese-donated COVID-19 vaccine to the country. (Photo: CCTV)

Target groups of COVID-19 vaccination include at-risk health workers, those who have close contact with COVID-19 patients at central and provincial hospitals, those working at international border checkpoints across the country and those working at quarantine centers, Lao News Agency on Friday quoted Phonepaseuth Ounaphom, director of the Hygiene and Health Promotion Department under the Lao Ministry of Health, as saying.

"These people are at higher risk of getting infected because they have close contact with people infected with COVID-19," said Phonepaseuth.

As of Friday, 120,283 suspected cases have been tested in Laos with 48 being confirmed with COVID-19, including 42 recoveries.

Laos reported its first two confirmed cases of COVID-19 on March 24 last year.