26 January

Union Minister for Health and Sports Dr Myint Htwe held a meeting with health regional and state authorities in Yangon on ensuring preparations for prevention and response to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) and inspected the ground situation of the preparations.

At the meeting, Union Minister Dr Myint Htwe has urged the health authorities to closely supervise the border gates in their respective areas and to report the situation to the central body for fighting the infectious diseases-CEU in timely manner.

He also stressed the importance of putting the travellers from the outbreak countries under surveillance despite no symptoms when they are arrive, urging the authorities to keep in touch with hotels and guest houses where they are staying to get updated information.

Besides, staff of the departments at the international airports and staff of the hotels should be educated with the disease, prevention tactics and duty consciousness to report the suspicion to the authorities concerned, he said.

In his remarks, the Union Minister also requested the Ministry of Transport and Communications to ensure filling the Health Declaration Form by every traveler on the international airlines. He also called for keeping on watch the situation in China and other countries and to be on alert on response to the disease.

Following the meeting, the Union Minister visited the Waibargi Special Clinic and inspected the preparations for response to the coronavirus. Afterwards, the Union minister and party went to the Yangon International Airport and inspected the surveillance work being carried out by the health staff of the ministry there. At the airport, the Union Minister held a meeting the officials of the airport and gave instruction on preventive measures with the use of protective equipment and surveillance work. The Union Minister and party also visited the laboratory of Aung San TB Hospital in Insein Township. During the visit, he called for seeking help from the World Health Organization and US’s CDC to provide the necessary lab equipment for the coronavirus.—MNA (Translated by TMT)