Myanmar: Authorities impose nightly curfew in Rakhine State from September 4 /update 21

Event

Myanmar authorities announced that a nightly curfew between the hours of 21:00 - 04:00 (local time) would be implemented across the Rakhine State from Friday, September 4, following a rise in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the region. Authorities further announced that the new curfew would be in effect until at least November 2, in an effort to further curb the spread of the virus. A stay-at-home order is in place around the curfew hours with individuals only permitted to leave their homes for essential work or emergency purposes. Only one person per household is permitted to leave their homes for essential purposes such as food shopping.

Schools remain closed until further notice while face masks remain compulsory in public areas.

Separately, authorities announced on Thursday, September 3, that they are tightening COVID-19 related restrictions for those arriving into Naypyitaw following a rise in the number of cases in the country. Mandatory quarantine and coronavirus tests for visitors to the capital have been implemented and entry will only be allowed following a negative result. Those arriving from the country's worst-hit areas will be quarantined in a facility for at least seven days while others will be allowed to leave earlier if they test negative. Furthermore, under the tightening of restrictions, schools have been suspended nationwide until further notice, while the ban on international flights has been extended until September 30.

As of September 4, health authorities have confirmed a total of 1111 COVID-19 cases with six associated deaths. Further spread of the virus is expected in the near term.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Since then, human-to-human transmission of the virus has been confirmed.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Some patients may experience other symptoms such as body pains, nasal congestion, headache, conjunctivitis, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell, or a rash on skin or discoloration of fingers or toes. These symptoms (in most cases mild) appear gradually. Generally, most patients (around 80 percent) recover from the disease without being hospitalized.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, including pneumonia, call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the disease.

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