Thermal imaging at Sittwe jetty will look for feverish ferry passengers

By DMG 09 Jul 2021

DMG Newsroom
9 July 2021, Sittwe

With more than 600 people in Arakan State infected with Covid-19 during the pandemic’s ongoing third wave, plans are being made to install and operate a Chinese-made thermal imaging camera at Shwe Pyi Tan jetty in the state capital Sittwe.

U San Maw Thein, manager of Shwe Pyi Tan express boat line, told DMG that the Chinese-made Hikvision device will be set up to measure the temperatures of passengers arriving at Shwe Pyi Tan jetty.

“I think the thermometer we are installing is not even available in other townships and regions,” he added.

The Hikvision camera is made in China and costs K7.7 million.

Shwe Pyi Tan express boat line operates water routes such as Sittwe-Rathedaung-Buthidaung, Sittwe-Mrauk-U, Sittwe-Minbya-Myebon, and Sittwe-Pauktaw.

Both the Shwe Pyi Tan line and the Malikha boat service, which operates only the Sittwe-Rathedaung-Buthidaung water route, have also taken steps to separate ferry passengers from one another.

“There are rows of three seats on the Malikha vessel, so we do not sell tickets for one seat in the middle. Tickets are on sale for the other two seats,” explained U Aung Ko Lin, manager of the Malikha boat service.

As of July 8, a total of 667 coronavirus cases were recorded in Arakan State during the ongoing third wave of the pandemic, with seven deaths attributed to the disease, according to figures compiled by the state DPH.