Myanmar morning news for March 31 2020

Myanmar Reports Four New COVID-19 Cases; Total Climbs to 14
Three French tourists and a local man returning from Thailand tested positive for COVID-19 Monday, taking Myanmar’s total number of cases to 14, health officials said.
— Irrawaddy

China committed to investing in Myanmar despite COVID-19 pandemic: Ambassador
China will support Myanmar economically and continue its infrastructure push in the country despite the setbacks caused by COVID-19, China’s ambassador to Myanmar, Chen Hai, told The Myanmar Times during an exclusive interview.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar Govt Announces Loan Package for Coronavirus-Hit Businesses in Key Sectors
The Myanmar government has announced that local businesses that have been badly hit by COVID-19 can apply for loans as part of its initial stimulus package to cushion the impact of the global pandemic on the country’s economy.
— Irrawaddy

Myanmar warns people against anti-malaria, antibiotic drugs
The Myanmar Food and Drug Administration has warned people against using an anti-malaria drug and an antibiotic as a cure for the COVID-19 virus.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar’s maritime trade reaches over 13 bln USD in first half of current fiscal year
Myanmar’s trade through sea route reached over 13.4 billion U.S. dollars in the first half of the present fiscal year 2019-2020 which started in October, according to figures released by the Commerce Ministry on Monday.
— Xinhua

Coronavirus cases hit double digits in Myanmar
Two men in their mid-40s have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, bringing Myanmar’s number of confirmed infections to 10, the health ministry announced late Sunday night.
— Myanmar-now

More woes for Myanmar garment industry as EU cancels orders
Update: More garment factories stopped operations in Myanmar as European Union countries, a major export market, cancelled orders last week amid the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, a senior industry leader said.
— Myanmar Times

Immediate loan programme to ease economic impact of COVID-19 on industries
Since the outbreak of Covid-19, we have seen the negative repercussions of the spreading of the virus, and industries which employ large labour forces, as well as employees in the hotels and tourism sector and related businesses, are bearing the brunt of the Coronavirus outbreak.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

UN to send 50,000 more test kits to Myanmar [EN/MY]
The United Nations in Myanmar is taking energetic steps to support the Government of Myanmar in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, which is now rapidly unfolding in over 170 countries, and has reached Myanmar, across the globe.
— Reliefweb

Undetected COVID-19 from returning Myanmar workers a big concern: Health official
The likelihood of undetected COVID-19 cases imported by a recent wave of returning Myanmar workers from Thailand – at least 32,000 of them – via a shared land border is “dangerously high”, a Myanmar health official told CNA on Monday (Mar 30).
— Channle NewsAsia

National Covid-19 committee receives donations of well-wishers
The National-Level Central Committee for COVID-19 Prevention, Control and Treatment have received cash and hospital equipment donated by business companies and individuals yesterday.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Myanmar: Humanitarian groups urge truce amid pandemic
Lacking basic health care, overcrowded IDP camps in Myanmar are COVID-19 tinderboxes, warn rights groups.
— AA

MoFA, MoIC meet to fight COVID-19
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of International Cooperation held their second meeting on working group’s preparedness and response to COVID-19.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Over 160 export, import items to get online licence in April
More than 160 export and import items will get online licences starting from 1 April, the Trade Department under the Ministry of Commerce stated.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Undetected COVID-19 from returning Myanmar workers a big concern: Health official
The likelihood of undetected COVID-19 cases imported by a recent wave of returning Myanmar workers from Thailand – at least 32,000 of them – via a shared land border is “dangerously high”, a Myanmar health official told CNA on Monday (Mar 30).
— CNA

Chinese Embassy, Jack Ma Foundation, Alibaba Foundation donate Covid-19 medical supplies
Chinese Embassy, Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation donated medical supplies to the Ministry of Health and Sports for fighting against Covid-19 pandemic yesterday morning.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

ARSA explosive kills two in Maungtaw
Two men were killed and three injured by an explosive triggered by ARSA in Maungtaw Township, Rakhine State, yesterday morning.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Myanmar Military Gives Support to Religious Leaders, Govt on COVID-19 Prevention
Spraying disinfectant at religious sites and donating supplies to religious leaders across Myanmar, the military pledged to cooperate with the government to tackle COVID-19.
— Irrawaddy

Ex-Myanmar Minister’s Son Jailed for 30 Years After Drugs and Guns Bust
An ex-sports minister’s son, Phyo Ko Ko Tint San, was caught with drugs, guns and fake security kit in 2017.
— Irrawaddy

Health Certificates Required to Enter Mandalay Religious Sites as Myanmar Struggles With COVID-19
The Mandalay government has told leaders of all faiths to only allow people to enter religious sites if they show a recent health certificate stating they don’t have COVID-19.
— Irrawaddy

AA Raids Rice Shipment Intended for Displaced Villagers in Myanmar’s Chin State
After halting an aid shipment intended for displaced Paletwa villagers, the AA negotiated to buy some of the rice but later failed to pay for it, local officials said.
— Irrawaddy

Bridegroom Arrested for Throwing Wedding Party Amid Ban on Public Gatherings in Myanmar
A bridegroom in western Myanmar was arrested after he held his wedding reception Saturday despite authorities’ requests that he obey a ban on public gatherings over COVID-19.
— Irrawaddy

Commentary: Restrictions on movements in some Southeast Asian countries to fight COVID-19 have been patchy, even scary
Restrictions on movement, which take varying forms in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, must balance the need to suppress the infection and the care for the underprivileged, say four observers.
— CNA

Myanmar Told to Brace for Major COVID-19 Outbreak as Returning Migrant Among New Cases
With a migrant returnee testing positive for COVID-19, health officials warn a serious outbreak is likely; more than 23,000 workers have recently returned from Thailand.
— Irrawaddy

Oppo’s newest smart phone introduced online
The introduction of OPPO’s latest Reno 3 and Reno 3 Pro high-tech smart phones were streamed live on OPPO’s official Facebook Page on March 18, 2020. This was the first online launch event in Myanmar because of the coronavirus outbreak.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar: Displacement Camps Are COVID-19 Tinderboxes
The Myanmar government should take urgent steps to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission among the estimated 350,000 people displaced by conflict and violence across the country, Human Rights Watch said today.
— HRW

April 9 deadline for emergency-loan applications
The government is reminding business owners who wish to apply for emergency loans from a K100 billion fund set up to help deal with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Myanmar’s economy that they must submit their applications by April 9.
— Myanmar Times

Smart parking project temporarily suspended
The pilot project for Yangon’s smart parking system has been suspended temporarily due to the outbreak of COVID-19, said Daw May Maw Thway, a Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) member.
— Myanmar Times

Covid-19 unpacks Bagan city, temples
Bagan cultural heritage zone, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, is now sitting eerily empty amid Covid-19 fears, according to the Shwezigon Pagoda Trustees Board.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Naypyitaw Health Bosses Hopeful COVID-19 Under Control in Myanmar’s Capital
Naypyitaw has taken decisive steps to quarantine around 500 people, including a Swiss UN employee who tested positive for COVID-19.
— Irrawaddy

Myanmar man self-isolates in tree house
A migrant worker refused entry to his home village when he returned from Thailand, for fear he was carrying Covid-19 disease, opted to isolate himself in a tree house until it was clear he was free of the disease, according to a local media report.
— Bangkok Post

NSO Appeals To India, Myanmar To Cease Military Operations
Amid COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the globe, the Naga Students’ Organization (NSO), Myanmar has claimed that joint military operations by the government of Myanmar and India was being carried out in the northern western parts of Naga Self-Administered Zone (SAZ), Sagaing Region of Myanmar bordering India.
— Defence Aviation Post

Myanmar limits inmates’ visitors
Inmates at jails across the country will be allowed only one visitor each during regular visiting days, a senior prison official said, as part of measures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in the country’s overcrowded jails.
— Myanmar Times

Fishing communities risk crocodile attacks in the Ayeyarwady delta
On an island in the Ayeyarwady delta, saltwater crocodiles and fishing communities make unhappy neighbours, with environmental degradation driving deadly attacks.
— Frontier Myanmar

69 local trains suspend operation
Due to the sharply decreasing number of passengers in Yangon following the COVID-19 outbreak, 69 local and circular trains have suspended operation as of March 29, according to Myanma Railways.
— Eleven Myanmar

Workers block KGG garment factory, fear boss fleeing
Workers from KGG garment factory in Prince Kanaung Street in Dagon Seikkan Township Industrial Zone (2), Yangon Region, surrounded and blocked the factory beginning at 10 pm on March 29 as they fear that their boss would run away without paying their salaries.
— Eleven Myanmar

Feature photo Unicef Myanmar/ Nyan Zay Htet

This week’s Myanmar morning news feature photo focuses on COVID-19 in Asean.

Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

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