29 Sep
With the arrival of 200,000 antigen test kits from the Republic of Korea, mass testing for COVID-19, with quick results offered at township and district hospitals, will begin today.
Antigen test kits are accurate, and thus essential for diagnosing and treating individual patients. By screening with Antigen test kits which can produce results much quicker than current tests, more positive cases can be found daily. The more we see the results earlier, the better treatment we can provide to the patients. It is essential to make sure that anyone who tests positive, and all their recent contacts, be immediately isolated and given tests to discover their COVID-19 status with certainty.
In this situation, detecting positive cases before they become most contagious is also essential to fight the pandemic as our country has seen rises in infection levels, and the number of positive cases reaching over 10,000 and the deaths reaching over 250.
Meanwhile, people are urged to understand that the strict restrictions on travel and other rules and regulations are not meant to restrict them but to contain community transmission and outbreaks. People in Yangon Region and in other parts which see new infections daily are advised to stay at home and not one to venture out except for essential purposes and doing essential work; people were also asked to keep two meters (six feet, seven inches) apart. These measures are aimed to curb the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus.
With the number of positive coronavirus cases reaching over 10,000 in the country yesterday, the Union Government has stepped up its fight against COVID-19 by warning that it has adopted a zero tolerance policy for those violating mandatory COVID-19 orders.
And, those who violate the law and are responsible for causing clusters of infection will surely face legal punishments.
The authorities in the regions and states are doing surveillance and enforcement, and people and businesses are urged not to violate public-health rules as COVID-19 cases climb in the country. We are in a difficult time. The authorities will have a no-tolerance stance towards those who do not follow the mandatory orders amidst the COVID-19 crisis, and violators will face legal punishments.
