Nearly 230 COVID-19 patients hospitalised in Arakan State at weekend

By Thet Paing 11 Oct 2020

Thet Paing | DMG
11 October 2020, Sittwe 

There were 229 COVID-19 patients receiving treatment at hospitals in the entirety of Arakan State as of October 9, according to Arakan State Public Health Department data made available on Saturday. 

Eight patients have died and 1,610 have been discharged from hospitals after recovering from the disease, said Dr. Soe Win Paing, assistant director of the Arakan State Public Health Department.

“With about 100 patients [currently hospitalised], Sittwe has the most number of infections. Kyaukphyu has 60 patients followed by 20 to 30 each in Mrauk-U, Maungdaw and Kyauktaw,” he said. 

Although the vast majority of Arakan State’s total coronavirus cases since an outbreak began in mid-August are former patients who are considered recovered, non-contagious and no longer receiving treatment, Dr. Soe Win Paing said the public needed to remain vigilante and continue to follow the guidelines from the Ministry of Health and Sports. 

“Because we have to send the swab samples to Yangon, we cannot say the number of infected cases on a daily basis. However, we can say on average 16 people out of 100 have been testing positive for COVID-19 in Arakan State. But in Sittwe alone, the rate is higher, at about 20%,” Dr. Soe Win Paing said. 

“The infection rate is not going down. It is staying constant. So, people should not be reckless and are required to stay at home,” he added.

In an attempt to control the spread of COVID-19 in the Arakan State capital Sittwe, local authorities have instructed residents not to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary. “Outpass” cards are being issued to regulate residents’ movements in the city, and authorities have vowed to take legal action against anyone not abiding by the outpass system’s restrictions.