Some positives among hundreds of random COVID-19 tests in Sittwe

By Kyaw Thu Htay 04 Sep 2020

Kyaw Thu Htay | DMG
4 September, Sittwe

Random testing of 550 people in Sittwe has turned up multiple coronavirus-positive cases, according to an official from the Department of Public Health in Arakan State.

The random tests were administered to allow health officials to gain a better sense of the prevalence of COVID-19 infections in the Arakan State capital as part of efforts to prevent, contain and treat the virus.

Samples were taken from a cross section of Sittwe residents, some of whom tested positive, said Dr. Soe Win Paing, assistant director of the Department of Public Health in Arakan State.

“We don’t yet know the exact number of infected people. The testing is ongoing,” Dr. Soe Win Paing said.

The tests were drawn from a random sampling of people at a variety of locations in Sittwe over the course of about a week, at the end of August and into September.

People testing positive will be quarantined and provided medical treatment free of charge, and swabs will also be taken from family and others with whom the positive cases have had close contact.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Arakan State continues to increase by the day, reaching 503 as of Friday evening, according to figures from the Ministry of Health and Sports.