YANGON—Ten new coronavirus cases were reported in Myanmar in a seven-hour period late Saturday and early Sunday, the largest daily increase in confirmed cases since COVID-19 was first detected in the country in late March.
As of Sunday morning, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country had surged to 38 with three deaths, according to the Ministry of Health and Sports (MOHS).
Of the new patients, seven are from Yangon—six from Insein Township and one from Hlegu Township—and one each from Pyay Township in Bago Region, Taunggyi in Shan State and Tedim Township in Chin State.
None of the new patients has a history of travel to a foreign country during the past 14 days.
Among the cases detected late Saturday was a 26-year-old man who had just spent 14 days in a government-designated quarantine center after returning from the UK on March 28. The MOHS informed him of his positive test result as he was on his way home to Taunggyi after his quarantine period ended on Saturday.
Another patient is a 58-year-old anesthesiologist who was part of the medical team that treated a COVID-19 patient at Pyay General Hospital, in Bago Region. The patient she treated died of the disease last week.
A 49-year-old woman tested positive in Chin State on Saturday. She had been in close contact with a previously confirmed COVID-19 patient.
Among the seven cases detected early on Sunday, one is a 38-year-old man who lives in Hlegu Township. He worked in China and returned to Myanmar three months ago.
He was admitted to Hlegu General Hospital on March 28 after showing symptoms of COVID-19 including fever and coughing.
Another patient is a 29-year-old woman from Shwe Pyi Thar Township in Yangon. She was admitted to Insein General Hospital on April 10 after developing symptoms of the disease. She has no history of foreign travel.
Four men in Insein Township aged 20, 24, 33 and 44 also tested positive. All had attended a religious ceremony, together with some foreigners, the MOHS said. They had no history of travel to foreign countries.
The latest confirmed patient is a 78-year-old woman, also from Insein Township, who was admitted to Insein General Hospital on April 10 after showing symptoms of the disease including fever, cough and diarrhea. She had no history of travel to foreign countries.
The MOHS said health authorities would trace all the close contacts of the new patients and test those who could potentially have contracted the disease.
As of Sunday morning, three people in Myanmar had died of COVID-19 and two had recovered, according to the MOHS.
As one patient was found to be infected after the two-week incubation period of the disease last week, Myanmar State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on Saturday said the government had decided to extend the quarantine period to 21 days from 14 days.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has asked that all citizens planning to return from Thailand wait until the end of April.
The government also announced it was extending its order prohibiting international commercial flights from landing in Myanmar until April 30.
In late March, Myanmar’s Department of Civil Aviation banned all commercial passenger flights from landing until April 13 in response to a rise in the number of COVID-19 cases.
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