Myanmar records all-time high 2,318 new cases in a single day

Myanmar health workers tending to a COVID-19 patient. Photo: Ministry of Health and Sports
Myanmar health workers tending to a COVID-19 patient. Photo: Ministry of Health and Sports

Myanmar on Sunday recorded 2,318 new COVID-19 cases — an all-time high for daily infections — with the death toll rising by 35.

The numbers were reported by the junta’s Ministry of Health and Sports, encompassing cases in 14 states and regions across the country. Yangon had the highest number of new infections with 286. 

Although people have been tested for the disease at military hospitals under the junta, the true extent of the outbreak is unknown, as hospitals, clinics, and laboratories participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement were not involved in the report. 

The Ministry of Health and Sports said in a statement last night that a total of 10,378 laboratory samples had been tested in the past 24 hours, showing a significant increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Myanmar.

To date, 165,405 patients have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in Myanmar, of which 138,715 have recovered. The death toll from COVID-19 yesterday rose by 35, bringing the total to 3,419.

Other than Yangon, Bago recorded 255 new cases, Ayeyarwady had 241, and Sagaing had 228. Shan State recorded its regional all-time high of 208 daily new infections.

On Sunday, the Yangon City Development Committee ordered restaurants in the region to halt dine-in services and only allowed them to serve takeaway and delivery orders. Restaurants in Yangon have announced their compliance with the new rule.

“To control the spread of Covid-19, both Rangoon Tea House outlets will be closing as of Monday 5th July for dine in. Takeaways and delivery will still be available however, from 9am to 5pm”, wrote Rangoon Tea House on Facebook.

Lockdowns have been imposed in 26 cities across the country and schools have been ordered to close again in the Mandalay Region.

Myanmar reported its first COVID-19 case on March 23, 2020. It began its national vaccination program on Jan. 27, 2021 under the Aung San Suu Kyi-led government, just days before it was overthrown by the military junta on Feb. 1.

Recently, Myanmar confirmed the discovery of the new mutations of the coronavirus in the country, including the more infectious Delta variant.

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