Three more COVID-19 cases reported in Sittwe

By Kyaw Thu Htay 19 Aug 2020

Kyaw Thu Htay | DMG
19 August, Sittwe 

Three people who did not have direct contact with a coronavirus-positive patient employed by CB Bank in the Arakan State capital Sittwe were found to have been infected with COVID-19, according to Dr. Zaw Lwin, the Sittwe Hospital medical superintendent. 

One of the new cases is a 23-year-old NGO worker from Pauktaw Township who currently lives in Sittwe. The two others are the mothers of two CB Bank staffers who had direct contact with their CB Bank colleague who tested positive for COVID-19 on August 16, Dr. Zaw Lwin said. 

“The [23-year-old] patient got sick yesterday and came to the hospital for a medical checkup. The patient has been monitored as a coronavirus prospect by the Department of Public Health and has no links with the positive patients from CB Bank. The remaining two are mothers of CB Bank employees. They were placed under home quarantine,” he said.  

Medical staff from the Department of Public Health are currently contact tracing those who have been in contact with the three positive cases, he added. 

Concerns have been raised among Sittwe residents over a potential outbreak of the deadly virus in Arakan State’s largest city as the number of local COVID-19 cases in recent days has risen to four. 

“This shows coronavirus infection cannot be traced in Arakan State. I am really worried about possible virus spread in Arakan State,” said Ko Zaw Zaw Tun, secretary of the Rakhine Ethnics Congress (REC). 

Twenty patients have so far tested positive for COVID-19 in Arakan State. Sixteen have recovered and were discharged from hospitals while the four recently reported cases remain hospitalised and are receiving medical treatment at Sittwe General Hospital.