Be Prepared for More COVID-19 Cases After Elections, Warns Aung San Suu Kyi from Myanmar

YANGON: Myanmar’s State Councilor Aung San Suu Kyi warned of more COVID-19 cases in the country, a week after millions of voters went to the polls.

Despite the security protocols that were in place for the November 8 general election, Aung San Suu Kyi said that an increase in infection rates would be inevitable.

“At this time, we must be fully aware of the fact that there were meetings during the election period,” he said Monday night (November 17) in a regular televised address.

“People are very aware of this fact. Therefore, because there were meetings, the infection rate will surely increase.”

Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi added that authorities found that the infections had spread to other areas, including Ayeyawady and Bago in central Myanmar, as well as Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city.

READ: Aung San Suu Kyi’s party wins enough seats to form Myanmar’s next government

SUPPORTERS GATHER DESPITE VIRUS THREAT

On election night, around 500 supporters of the National League for Democracy (NLD) gathered outside the party’s headquarters in Yangon. Men, women and children waved flags, sang and danced in the streets in anticipation of a victory in the NLD.

The evening meetings continued for the next two nights. The crowds increased, especially as unofficial results began to reveal that the NLD was on its way to a major victory.

Despite the risks, the supporters CNA spoke to were not intimidated.

“I’m here because Aunt Suu (Aung San Suu Kyi) has won and I’m very happy that I can’t think about COVID-19,” said Daw Moe, an NLD supporter.

“I’m somewhat concerned about my health, but that’s another story. For now, I’m going to show my support for Mother Suu,” said her colleague Myat Thandar Aung.

POST-ELECTION CONCERNS ABOUT CORONAVIRUS

While Ms Aung San Suu Kyi had acknowledged the enthusiasm of supporters, she and the NLD warned people not to break the COVID-19 rules, warnings that the Myanmar Ministry of Health echoed last week.

Although large-scale celebrations have subsided since then, the spread of COVID-19 has not.

The Myanmar Times reported on Monday that six members of the Mandalay election office staff tested positive for the virus.

One of them had gone door-to-door the day before the election to finalize the voters list. The staff member was later found to be COVID-19 positive.

Further south from Mandalay in Bago, a foreign election observer who had visited polling stations there also tested positive.

The Filipino observer, from Asian Network For Free Elections, and her translator were evaluated after returning to Yangon from their assignment.

While Ms Aung San Suu Suu Kyi warned of an increase in infection rates in her direction on Monday night, she said that new cases at this time “are stable at around 1,000 daily.”

HARD AND SOFT APPROACHES

Meanwhile, authorities are looking for more creative ways to handle the pandemic.

You will expand your network and take advantage of other resources, including the private health sector.

About a quarter of the approximately 230 private hospitals in Myanmar are finalizing preparations before opening their doors to COVID-19 patients.

Health authorities have also hinted at the use of community patrols to enforce safe distancing rules.

Authorities have also employed gentler approaches to managing the pandemic.

Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi raised the idea of ​​online dance competitions on Monday. The Ministry of Health has been broadcasting dance programs in an attempt to keep people indoors and active.

And to encourage people to wear face masks, the authorities have also planned mask-making contests, with the State Councilor shown sewing her own mask.

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