September 08, 2020
The number of people diagnosed with coronavirus in Myanmar is rising, having reached over 1500 cases on Monday.
The vast majority of cases is in the Yangon Region, and most are either people who have travelled to Rakhine State, where the second wave outbreak began, or people who have been in close contact with those who travelled to Rakhine State after 10 August.
Now, the fast-spreading second wave has been contained, to a certain extent, in Rakhine State, but Yangon Region is seeing rising numbers daily.
Those who did not contact the local health authorities after returning from Rakhine are to be identified, together with their detailed address published in the state-run media, so their neighbours can proceed with caution.
This is not meant to bring harm, but to provide them with warnings. This is a part of our efforts to slow the fast-spreading virus infection in Yangon, and other parts of the country.
Those who still ignore the government’s request are urged again to contact the authorities of their own volition or they will face action under the law.
COVID-19 is a pernicious asymptomatic infection, and carriers can spread the disease far and wide without ever realizing they’re ill.
And we need contact tracing, lots of it, to be able to contact people whom COVID-19 carriers might have passed on the disease, get them tested and have them quarantined until we’re sure they aren’t sick too.
This health crisis is like nothing we have ever experienced before. Everybody must avoid putting themselves and communities at an unacceptable risk.
State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi cancelled her trip to her constituency in southern Yangon following advice given by the health authorities. Meanwhile, during the second wave of infections, the Ministry of Health and Sports has scaled up contact tracing and testing capacity and adopted tougher rules. These measures are reflecting that the Union Government is taking all precautions extremely seriously.
There is no coronavirus vaccine. Medications for COVID-19 are still being tested. Contact tracing is a key way to slow COVID-19. Until we have a vaccine, testing, contact tracing and quarantine are the most effective pandemic stoppers in existence.
We need an “all hands on deck” approach to beat back the second wave of COVID-19.
