Yangon — Twenty-three female staff members at a Mandalay hotel have tested positive for coronavirus this week, according to the Ministry of Health and Sports.
The employees are from Hotel Mandalay in Maha Aung Myay Township, said township lawmaker U Thaung Tun in the regional parliament.
“Five staff tested positive on Sunday and 18 more tested positive on Wednesday and 115 other staff are placed in isolation at the hotel,” the lawmaker told The Irrawaddy.
Rumors spread on social media that the hotel was operating illegal massage services and the infected staff are masseurs. The lawmaker dismissed the rumors and said the staff work in the reception, laundry and were housekeepers.
Most of those infected are under 30. Hayma Marlar Taung ward administrator U Min Din said: “I don’t know if they are masseurs. I can confirm they were infected. The hotel has between 150 and 200 staff. Around 20 to 25 are yet to test for the virus.”
Of 24 townships in Mandalay, Maha Aung Myay is a COVID-19 hotspot with 37 patients, according to the township’s general administration department.
Hotel Mandalay was one of the few hotels that were allowed to resume operations after all hotels were ordered to close during the first wave of COVID-19 after March.
On Wednesday, 192 COVID-19 patients were reported in Mandalay Region with one death, according to the Ministry of Health and Sports.
Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko
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