Myanmar: Authorities place Sittwe (Rakhine state) under partial lockdown August 20 /update 18

Event

Authorities placed the capital of Rakhine state, Sittwe, under a partial lockdown on Thursday, August 20, following the detection of six locally transmitted cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) within four days. Lockdowns are in place in the Danyawaddy, Kone Tan, Myothagyi, and Ywartaunggyi quarters, where the cases were detected. Entry into these areas has been restricted until further notice. People are also required to wear a mask when traveling outside of homes. In addition, a number of flights operating between Sittwe Airport (AKY) and Yangon International Airport (RGN) have been canceled for at least two weeks. The Yangon regional government has announced that it is planning to introduce a 21-day quarantine for those arriving from Sittwe.

As of August 20, there have been 399 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Myanmar, with six associated fatalities. Further international spread of the virus is expected in the near term.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Since then, human-to-human transmission of the virus has been confirmed.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Some patients may experience other symptoms such as body pains, nasal congestion, headache, conjunctivitis, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell, or a rash on skin or discoloration of fingers or toes. These symptoms (in most cases mild) appear gradually. Generally, most patients (around 80 percent) recover from the disease without being hospitalized.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, including pneumonia, call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the disease.