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Medical staff take a swab sample from a woman to test for the novel COVID-19 coronavirus at a clinic in Insein, Yangon, on September 21, 2020 (Photo by Ye Aung THU / AFP).
Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon, has rapidly built new quarantine centers as it rushes to contain the mall’s first significant coronavirus outbreak, with an overworked medical staff fearing thousands more cases will occur.
The Southeast Asian nation has one of the most impoverished healthcare systems in the world, but until recently it had remained relatively unscathed by the pandemic.
Last month there were fewer than 400 total confirmed cases nationwide and only six deaths from the disease.
But the growing number of cases in the west of the country quickly spread to other places and the number of infections has doubled every week.
They are expected to exceed 10,000 in the coming days with a current death toll of 174.
Yangon has cared for the vast majority of patients and is now under strict lockdown again, many fear it will devastate the livelihoods of the city’s poorest inhabitants.
Around 6,000 people have been quarantined in the city and state media reported Saturday that seven new facilities had been built to isolate another 1,000 people.
“We estimate that there could be 10,000 more suspected cases,” said Ye Nyi Nyi Htut, a doctor at a clinic in the city.
Yangon’s medical staff were “exhausted,” he added.
Residents have been told to stay home unless they work in certain key industries or buy food or medical supplies.
Domestic travel outside of the city is prohibited and the ban on international commercial flights has been extended until the end of October.
‘Get medical exams’
Myanmar’s civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has placed herself front and center in the nation’s fight against the disease.
In a speech to the nation on Friday, he urged the country to ignore the spread of false rumors and “ridiculous” treatment.
“Don’t think that certain foods or drinks can alleviate illness,” he said. “Get medical exams in hospitals.”
A leaked letter this week showed the government was even making preparations to “distribute basic foods” to the city’s 7 million residents, sowing fears that an even tighter blockade could be on the cards.
But Suu Kyi’s spokesman, Zaw Htay, dismissed that possibility, telling reporters on Friday that authorities were only making worst-case contingency plans.
Thousands of people in Yangon make a hard living as street vendors and some have ignored the closure to continue practicing their trade, insisting they need money to feed their families.
“We only have two options: stay home and die or sell things on the street and die. I choose the second, ”Cho Cho Mar, 39, told AFP.
General practitioner Myint Oo said that although infections were spreading rapidly, the death rate from the current outbreak was still low.
“It is not a critical situation yet,” he said.
The government has insisted that the national elections take place as scheduled on November 8.
For more news on the new coronavirus, click here.
What you need to know about the coronavirus.
For more information on COVID-19, call the DOH hotline: (02) 86517800 local 1149/1150.
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