The Shwe Pyi Tan ferry service in Arakan State, which was suspended earlier this month as part of a raft of measures put in place nationwide to prevent the spread of coronavirus, is to resume operations on April 27, said the manager of the boat service.

The ferry line was originally scheduled to halt operations from April 20-30, but the operator has decided to return to plying the waterway earlier than planned because would-be passengers have asked that the ferry be considered an essential means of transportation.

“We’ve arranged preventive measures such as checking body temperature and [providing] hand sanitizer,” said U Tin Maung Thein, the manager. “Passengers without masks are not allowed to board. The number of passengers will also be reduced to one-third of regular capacity.”

To a greater extent than other parts of Myanmar, residents of Arakan State depend on waterways more than overland transport due to the coastal region’s riverine topography and, more recently, because the Tatmadaw and Arakan Army are known to clash near roads.

Ka Zaw Min Htay, owner of the company Golden Rose, which makes liquid household soap, said goods could not be sent to Arakan State during the suspension of boat services.

He suggested that it would be better for public health if ferry services took more limited passenger loads that allowed for social distancing of three feet to be observed on board.

As of April 26, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Myanmar stood at 146, with five deaths and no recorded cases so far in Arakan State.