1. The Ministry of Health and Sports is closely monitoring the outbreak of COVID-19 in China and other 65 global countries, with conducting surveillance at international gateways, at the public hospitals, community-based monitoring and private healthcare facilities.
2. In doing so—
(a) A 24-year-old man living in Sagaing Township got fever, cough, chest pain and exhaustion beginning 29 February 2020, and was taken to Mandalay General Hospital on the following day. Although he had no record on visiting the COVID-19 affected areas in the past 14 days, he was suspected with the symptoms of this virus. He was then transferred to Kandawnadi hospital in Mandalay at 6:30 pm on 2 March. Medical treatments have been provided to him as a person under investigation, and his specimens have been taken for laboratory tests at the National Health Laboratory in Yangon.
(b) A 25-year-old Chinese woman, a native of Zhejiang province, who worked at a factory in Dagon Seikkan Township, Yangon, arrived in Myanmar on 20 February. She began suffering fever, headache, malaise and serious lethargy on 1 March, and she was taken to the outpatient unit of Waibargi hospital on 3 March. She was diagnosed with the suspected symptoms of COVID-19 and provided with medical treatments as a person under investigation.
(c) A 38-year-old Chinese man, a local of Zhejiang province, who worked at a factory in Dagon Seikkan Township, Yangon, arrived back to Myanmar on 11 February. He also suffered similar symptoms beginning 2 March. He was taken to the Waibargi hospital on the following day. He is now getting medical treatments due to the sign of COVID-19, and laboratory tests will be done to him.
(d) A 9-year-old Grade-2 school girl who lived in Kyal Gaung Town of China of Yunnan province, China, arrived in Muse for regular schooling. On 3 March, she was diagnosed with fever and sore throat at the Muse border gate. She is now quarantined at Muse People’s hospital as a person under investigation, and laboratory tests will be done at the National Health Laboratory in Yangon. She was not found suffering acute respiratory disease.
3. The National Health Laboratory has confirmed on 3 March that the following persons were tested negative. (a) a 29-year-old Chinese man at Waibergi hospital (b) a 37-year-old New Zealand man at Waibergi hospital (c) a 32-year-old Myanmar man at Waibergi hospital (d) a 29-year-old Myanmar man at Sittway People’s hospital. They were in good health conditions, but they will be allowed for discharging from the hospital after the 48 hours.
4. Until 6 pm on 3 March, the remaining four patients are under close monitoring for medical treatments at the respective hospitals, and they were in good health conditions.
5. Three Myanmar school girls who returned from Daegu city with the highest cases of COVID-19 on 2 March were not found with symptoms of the disease. However, they are being quarantined at the Waibargi hospital for 14 days to get early treatments if they suffered symptoms of the disease and to prevent possible transmissions to their family members.
6. Although there is no laboratory confirmed case of COVID-19 until now, the ministry is conducting roundthe-clock surveillance in upward momentum. As the COVID-19 is spreading in 64 countries, including China and some of its neighbouring countries, people are suggested to follow health awareness guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Sports on prevention of the disease.— MNA
(Translated by Aung Khin)
