1. Situation update worldwide
(World Health Organization’s statement issued at 1:30 am (MST) on 4-3-2020)
Total affected countries – 73
Total cases – 90, 870
Total death toll – 3,112
* The WHO announced that outbreak of disease has occurred in many countries in both imported cases and local transmission.
* 30 countries, territories or areas outside China with reported cases are:
Therefore, the WHO has changed the level of its risk assessment on COVID-19 transmission to “very high” in China, regional countries, and global countries.
2. Situation in Myanmar (Until 4:00 pm on 4-3-2020)
3. There are a total of 56 people under investigation across Myanmar from 31-1-2020 to 4-3-2020: 20 in Yangon Region, 13 in Shan State, 10 in Mandalay Region and 13 in other Regions and States.
4. In preparation for COVID-19, the Ministry of Health and Sports is carrying out:
(a) monitoring persons (family members and health workers) who had close contacts with the patients and prevention and control measures against the disease at the hospitals and clinics
(b) identifying suspected cases, quarantining them and providing effective treatment
(c) giving instructions to the health workers to strictly follow preventive measures and make public awareness
(d) publishing situation reports about Myanmar and other countries in the state-owned newspapers and the Internet website of the Ministry (www.mohs.gov.mm) and social media pages (https://www.facebook.com/ Ministry Of Health and SportsMyanmar) and (https://www.facebook.com/ Myanmar CDC) , with taking response to the fake news
(e) coordination with relevant government agencies to lessen socio-economic impacts resulted from COVID-19
5. Although Myanmar has not found any COVID-19 patient so far,
– COVID-19 is spreading not only in China but also in Singapore, Republic of Korea, Italy, and Iran at high level
– The chances of the travellers from the countries coming to Myanmar by flights, or through border crossings from other countries are high.
– The ministry is increasing surveillance in upward momentum at the international airports.
– The ministry is also closely monitoring the hotels, guest houses and houses where the foreign travellers will reside.
-Local transmission was found in some countries where new cases occurred despite no close contacts with COVID-19 patients or no previous visit to the countries with the outbreak of disease.
– In the crowd, people can be infected with the virus from COVID-19 patients and asymptomatic carriers.
6. It is also possible that some cases could be found immediately, the people and social organizations are suggested:
(a) to avoid crowded areas and festivals as much as possible
(b) to organize only unavoidable public events
(c) to restrict the number of attendees to those events where strictly measures must be posed to prevent the audience with fever or respiratory disease while following advises of the Ministry of Health and Sports.
MoHS (Translated by Kyaw Zin Tun)
Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar