VIENTIANE, April 25 (Xinhua) - Laos recorded 76 new cases of COVID-19, raising the total in the country to 323, according to the Lao Ministry of Health on Sunday.

Director General of the National Center for Laboratory and Epidemiology under the Lao Ministry of Health, Phonepadith Xangsayarath, told a press conference here on Sunday that among the new cases, 64 were detected in the capital, five in Saravan, four in Luang Namtha, two in Savannakhet, and one in Bokeo province.

All Lao citizens and foreign residents should comply with COVID-19 prevention and control measures, said Phonepadith.

The Lao government and local authorities have imposed travel restrictions and banned people from leaving their homes unless necessary.

The Lao Ministry of Health has opened more testing centers to identify new cases of the virus in a bid to contain its spread.

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