Arakan State exceeds 3,000 coronavirus cases during ongoing third wave 

By DMG 04 Aug 2021

DMG Newsroom
4 August 2021, Sittwe 

Arakan State has surpassed 3,000 cases of Covid-19 since the pandemic’s third wave began some two months ago, with 239 fatalities attributed to the disease over that period, according to the state’s Department of Public Health (DPH).   

With the case count and death toll still rising, Dr. Soe Win Paing, assistant director of Arakan State’s Department of Public Health, said vigilance among the public was critical to bringing the outbreak under control. 

“The current situation is worse than the previous wave due to the high number of infected people and deaths. Initially, only 12 out of 100 people tested positive for Covid-19. At present, the rate of infection is still high, because 58 out of 100 people were infected with the virus,” he added, referring to a recent sampling taken in Arakan State. 

The third-wave Covid death toll is more than six times higher than the death toll of the virus’s first two waves combined, bringing the total number of deaths to 239 as of 5 p.m. on August 3, according to the Arakan State DPH. 

Coronavirus cases have been recorded across all 17 of Arakan State townships, with 59 deaths in Sittwe; 12 in Maungdaw; 26 in Thandwe; 51 in Taungup; three in Buthidaung; 14 in Kyauktaw; five each in Minbya and Ramree; four each in Gwa, Ponnagyun and Rathedaung; 22 in Kyaukphyu; seven each in Pauktaw and Ann; and eight each in Mrauk-U and Manaung. 

Dr. Soe Win Paing urged people to follow all Covid-related regulations as the death toll from the virus continues to climb in Arakan State.   

U Hla Thein, a spokesman for Arakan State’s military government, said since July 14, action has been taken against those who do not wear masks in Sittwe due to the growing number of infected people in the state. 

A total of 3,021 third-wave cases were reported in Arakan State as of August 2, according to the Arakan State DPH.  

On Wednesday, state media reported that 10,469 people in Arakan State received the Covid-19 vaccine on August 2-3, with an inoculation drive by the military regime prioritising civil service personnel, prison inmates and people over 65 years old. 

Since Myanmar’s first case was reported in March 2020, the country had recorded 311,067 total Covid-19 infections as of August 3, with 10,373 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.