9 Sep
Those who returned from Rakhine State after 10 August might have been infected with the coronavirus and they are now in many parts of the country.
The authorities have warned them in the state-media to contact respective local health authorities.
From 10 to 27 August, over 5,700 people had travel history to Rakhine State by air, and of them, some might have been infected with the coronavirus. The government has announced their names in the state-run newspapers.
However, just nearly 1,600 people have contacted the health authorities. It is inexcusable that some who have returned from the COVID-19 hit areas are flouting COVID-19 rules including quarantine and contact tracing processes.
To contain the fast-spreading coronavirus infection in the country, no one should be allowed to continue to knowingly do the wrong thing, and put people’s lives at risk.
The Union Government has issued an ultimatum: Those people who returned from Rakhine State after 10th August, and are now to be found in various parts of the country, must contact the local authorities by 11th September, 2020 or face the consequences of violating the disaster management law.
Besides, the government has a no-tolerance stance towards those who do not follow the mandatory orders amidst the COVID-19 crisis.
Over 13,900 people have been sent to the prosecutors under the communicable diseases law since 26th March, 2020 on charges of obstructing epidemiological investigations, violating quarantine rules and defying bans on gathering.
Meanwhile, over 280 have been charged under the Natural Disaster Management Law in the same period for flouting COVID-19 health rules when they were under stay-at-home orders, for causing disturbances at the quarantine centres, for staging protests and organizing religious ceremonies and distributing false news.
Over 5,570 people have been charged under the Criminal Act 188 for breaking curfew.
The virus is an unprecedented threat to the world.
Our leaders, health authorities, volunteers and frontline health workers are struggling to keep the virus under control. We need to show respect to them by following the COVID-19 health rules to those who are laying down their lives every single day for us.
Nobody on this Earth is perfect. However some rules, like the COVID-19 prevention best practices, are just too important to ignore.
Let’s all remember that You nor I are at the centre of the universe. Let’s come together and show some respect to those who need our support and respect most by following COVID-19 rules.
