Random Covid-19 testing carried out in Arakan State

By DMG 06 Sep 2021

DMG Newsroom
6 September 2021, Sittwe 

Random Covid-19 tests have been conducted to gauge the prevalence of coronavirus among people in Arakan State, according to the Arakan State Department of Public Health. 

Dr. Soe Win Paing, assistant director of the Arakan State Department of Public Health, said they have carried out random Covid-19 tests according to the instruction of the Central Committee on Prevention, Control, and Treatment of Covid-19, to know the prevalence of Covid-19 at places where there are public gatherings. 

“We’ve known that the central committee has instructed regional and state committees to make random Covid-19 tests. So, we tested at a jetty the previous day, and also tested at the airport yesterday. We’ve conducted random tests as we want to know the prevalence of Covid-19 among people,” he said. 

Random testing was started at a jetty in Sittwe town as of September 4, and another random test was also carried out for air passengers who were to fly from Sittwe to Yangon on September 5, according to the Department of Public Health. 

Currently, random tests have been carried out in Sittwe, Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships, and will also be carried out in other townships. 

“Conducting random Covid-19 testing is a good move. It should have been carried out before. By doing this, it can be known in advance whether it is carrying the virus or not, and conduct prevention,” said Ko Zaw Hlaing Tun from the Rakhine Covid-19 Watch. 

On the other hand, there is also criticism as random tests are carried out only for air passengers who take Sittwe-Yangon flights, but not for passengers who take Yangon-Sittwe flights. 

Dr. Soe Win Paing said they currently do not know whether there is a plan to test air passengers who fly from Yangon to Sittwe. 

Two male passengers tested positive during a random test that was carried out for air passengers who took the Sittwe-Yangon flight on September 6. 

Random Covid-19 tests were conducted in Arakan State after finding that a person from Sittwe was among those infected with the Delta variant in testing last week.