Posts in category: COVID

Japan’s philantropic Nippon Foundation is to donate 2 million jabs of Covaxin to Myanmar this month, a total of 1 million jabs were delivered to Myanmar at the VIP lounge of Yangon International Airport at 10 am yesterday.

At the handover ceremony, Mr Mori Yuji, executive director of Nippon Foundation, handed over 1 million jabs of Covaxin to Dr Maung Maung Myint, President of the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS), in the presence of Mr Maruyama Ichiro, Ambassador of Japan to Myanmar and Dr Tun Min, Deputy Director-General of Yangon Region Public Health Department.

The officials from Japanese Embassy to Myanmar and Nippon Foundation, and MRCS also attended the ceremony. The Nippon Foundation will contribute US$17 million worth 2 million doses of Covaxin to Myanmar and 1 million doses arrived at the Yangon Internaitonal Airport by Qatar Airways flight (QR8920) in the first batch. The second batch is scheduled to come by this airlines on 23 January with another 1 million doses.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

1. With a view to the further strengthening of measures to contain the spread of the
   COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar has issued the following announcements regarding temporary entry restrictions for visitors from all countries. All those restrictions were extended until 31 December 2021 by the Ministry’s announcement dated 30 November 2021.
   (a) Announcement dated 15 March 2020 regarding precautionary measures for all travellers visiting Myanmar;
   (b) Announcement dated 20 March 2020 regarding additional precautionary measures for travellers visiting Myanmar and temporary suspension of issuance of visa on arrival and e-visa;
   (c) Announcement dated 24 March 2020 regarding additional precautionary measures for travellers from all countries visiting Myanmar;
   (d) Announcement dated 28 March 2020 regarding temporary suspension of all types of visas (including social visit visas) and visa exemption services.
2. In order to continue its effective response measures to protect the population of the country from the risks of importation and spread of the COVID-19, the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar has decided to extend the afore-mentioned entry restriction measures until 31 January 2022.
3. In case of urgent official missions or compelling reasons, foreign nationals, including diplomats and United Nations officials, who wish to travel to Myanmar by available relief or special flights, may contact the nearest Myanmar Mission for possible exceptions with regard to certain visa restrictions. However, all visitors must abide by existing directives issued by the Ministry of Health relating to the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nay Pyi Taw
Dated. 1 January 2022

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

The Ministry of Health extensively conducts vaccination programmes in Nay Pyi Taw Union Territory and Regions/States according to the target groups. The 6.7 million doses in the second batch of Covishield purchased from India arrived at the Yangon International Airport yesterday, and the country received a total of 13.4 million doses of the vaccine.

These 6.7 million doses were received by the head of the Yangon Region Medical Services and Public Health Department. A total of 13.78 million people aged above 18 were fully vaccinated, while 5.37 million received first shots till 28 December. Therefore, inoculation covers more than 51 per cent of thepopulation as there are about 19.15 million people over 18 who were immunized more than one time. Moreover, the government launched vaccination for middle and high school students over 12 across the nation.

A total of 1.29 million students have been fully inoculated and 188,836 received their first shots. The Ministry of Health obtained 56.36 million doses of the vaccine 44.4 million doses of procurement and 11.96 million doses of donation. The government will continue the immunization processes accordingly to the target groups in 2022. The Ministry of Health urged the people to get vaccinated without fail and those who receive the first shots to have the second jabs on the due date or within the fixed period at the nearest vaccination sites and to participate in the processes actively.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

1. The Ministry of Health is continuously conducting “COVID-19 Molecular Disease Surveillance”.
2. Among those returning on Relief Flight, laboratory samples of the COVID-19 virus were sent to laboratories from the Department of Medical Research, National Health Laboratory, Tatmadaw Medical Research Unit as well as to regional laboratories under the auspices of the World Health Organization (WHO) for Omicron Real-Time PCR Testing and Genomic Sequencing Testing.
3. Initiation of genetic testing of COVID-19 was carried out on (14-12-2021) on 30 laboratory samples found for the virus. According to the results obtained on (28-12-2021), the SARSCoV-2 Variant Omicron was found in the laboratory samples of four Myanmar nationals returning by Relief Flight from Dubai of UAE, and the SARS-CoV-2 Variant Delta virus was found in the other 26 laboratory samples.
4. Only one in four persons diagnosed with the Omicron virus has normal symptoms and the other three have no symptom. All four were monitored at the treatment centres and discharged from the treatment centre due to good health. It is reported that the four persons are in good health at present.
5. Therefore, the Ministry of Health is stepping up the COVID-19 disease monitoring and control activities plus disease prevention, control and treatment activities.

Ministry of Health

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

Out of 13.4 million doses of the Covishield vaccine purchased from India, 6.7 million doses in first batch arrived at the Yangon International Airport yesterday and were received by the team led by the Head of the Yangon Region Department of Medical Services and Public Health.

The Ministry of Health has been conducting the vaccination against the COVID-19 disease to target groups across the country and as of 27 December 2021, 13.45 million people aged over 18 have been fully vaccinated with two doses and 5.54 million people aged over 18 have been injected once. As it makes 19 million people over the age of 18 inoculated at least once, over 50 per cent of the target population have accessed the vaccination.

In addition, as above 12-year-old students have been jabbed, a total of 1.28 million students were fully immunized and 189,104 students have received vaccines once. The Ministry of Health has purchased 37.7 million COVID-19 vaccines and received 11.96 million doses as a donation, totaling 49.66 million doses. The vaccination will continue in the coming year 2022 to increase the vaccination coverage and the people are urged to receive full doses of the vaccine and those who have received the first dose to visit the nearest immunization centre in order to get jabbed for the second time and actively participate in the inoculation programme by the Ministry of Health.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

The signing ceremony of the agreement to purchase and produce Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine in Myanmar was held yesterday evening at Lotte Hotel, in Mayangon Township, Yangon Region. Chairman of the Central Committee for Supervision of COVID-19 Vaccine Production Union Minister for Industry Dr Charlie Than, Union Minister for Health Dr Thet Khaing Win, Yangon Region Chief Minister U Hla Soe, Deputy Minister for Industry U Ko Ko Lwin, Yangon Region Minister for Natural Resources U Zaw Win, Director of the Medical Services of the Ministry of Defence Maj-Gen Ko Ko Lwin, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Myanmar Mr Chen Hai, and officials from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Industry attended the ceremony.

First, Union Minister Dr Charlie Than said COVID-19 is a highly contagious disease that is now spreading around the world, and vaccination is the most effective way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Efforts are also being made to develop the COVID-19 vaccine in various parts of the world. By 2021, Myanmar had purchased 26 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine. According to the Ministry of Health, the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine has been shown to have fewer side effects and is more effective. Efforts were made to purchase the COVID-19 vaccine from Sinopharm CNBG as Ready to Fill Bulk. Today, the acquisition of RTF Bulk to produce 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine is a new step in cooperation between Myanmar and the People’s Republic of China.

In collaboration with Sinopharm CNBG, we hope to develop not only important vaccines for Myanmar’s healthcare sector but also other drugs. The Ministry of Industry is working to produce and distribute more medicines needed by the people, the Union minister continued. He also said that the upcoming Chinese New Year 2022 will be a “tiger” year, so wishing to have good health, happiness and success. Afterwards, Ambassador Mr Chen Hai of the People’s Republic of China to Myanmar said that the first step in cooperation between Myanmar and China was to develop the vaccine produced by Sinopharm CNBG in Myanmar. China is distributing the COVID-19 vaccines to 120 countries and is stepping up research to develop a special treatment for the disease, he said. At the time of the third wave of COVID 19 in Myanmar, China was the largest supplier of the COVID vaccine.

Most of the COVID-19 vaccines that have been injected in Myanmar are made in China, and the signing of the RTF Bulk Agreement will greatly assist in the control of the pandemic in Myanmar, the Ambassador continued. Next, Chairman Mr Jingzhen Liu of Sinopharm Group said Sinopharm CNBG is a leading manufacturer and exporter of pharmaceuticals in China. It is engaged in medical treatment and industry and is the second-largest pharmaceutical manufacturer in Asia. The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved the emergency use of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines produced by the company. He also said that he will continue to cooperate in the prevention and control of the pandemic in Myanmar through the virtual system. Next, an agreement to purchase 10 million RTF Bulk Doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine was signed by Managing Director of Myanmar Pharmaceutical Enterprise U Myo Zar Ni Win and Mr Yang on behalf of Sinopharm China National Biotech Group.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

Nay Pyi Taw
19-12-2021

Department of Public Health, Department of Medical Research, Department of Medical Services, National Health Laboratory under the Ministry of Health has been conducting “COVID-19 Molecular Surveillance” in collaboration with the Tatmadaw Medical Research Corps.

According to the process, people came back from the border checkpoints, by relief flights and from Thailand, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, India, Bangladesh and Malaysia through border checkpoints.

Of the returnees, 36 laboratory samples were taken from those who were infected with COVID-19 virus. The SARS-CoV-2 Variant Omicron’s Real Time PCR Test was performed on these samples at the National Health Laboratory under the Department of Medical Services of the Ministry of Health and found no SARS-CoV-2 Variant Omicron.

Ministry of Health

As of December 11, a total of more than 18 million people have received the COVID-19 vaccine in Myanmar, according to the Ministry of Health. As of December 11, the first population to be planted in Myanmar was 5,799,482 (5.79 million); 13029777 (13.02 million) people who received two doses of the vaccine.

The total number of vaccinated people was 18,829,259 (18.82 million) and the total number of vaccinations was 31.85 million. The vaccine, which is currently being administered to people aged 40 and over, is now available at nearby health centers. Previously, people over the age of 65 were first transplanted, then reduced to those over 55 years of age; then on October 17 for those over 45 and from November 9 for those over 40.

As of November 21, a total of 31 million COVID-19 vaccines have been purchased by the Ministry of Health, and a total of 9168,800 vaccines received from donations and a total of 40,168,800 immunizations purchased and donated. A total of 24 million COVID-19 vaccines purchased from China have arrived in Myanmar, and about 50 percent of the target groups will be fully vaccinated in December, using these vaccines and existing vaccines.

Source: Daily Eleven

1. With a view to the further strengthening of measures to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar has issued the following announcements regarding temporary entry restrictions for visitors from all countries. All those restrictions were extended until 30 November 2021 by the Ministry’s announcement dated 1 November 2021.
   (a) Announcement dated 15 March 2020 regarding precautionary measures for all travellers visiting Myanmar;
   (b) Announcement dated 20 March 2020 regarding additional precautionary measures for travellers visiting Myanmar and temporary suspension of issuance of visa on Arrival and e-visa;
   (c) Announcement dated 24 March 2020 regarding additional precautionary measures for travellers from all countries visiting Myanmar;
   (d) Announcement dated 28 March 2020 regarding temporary suspension of all types of visas (including social visit visas) and visa exemption services.
2. In order to continue its effective response measures to protect the population of the country from the risks of importation and spread of the COVID-19, the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar has decided to extend the afore-mentioned entry restriction measures until 31 December 2021.
3. In case of urgent official missions or compelling reasons, foreign nationals, including diplomats and United Nations officials, who wish to travel to Myanmar by available relief or special flights, may contact the nearest Myanmar Mission for possible exception with regard to certain visa restrictions. However, all visitors must abide by existing directives issued by the Ministry of Health relating to the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic.
   

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nay Pyi Taw
Dated. 30 November 2021

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

12th Waning of Tazaungmon 1383 ME
30 November 2021

As it is necessary to continuously control the infection of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), it is hereby announced that public requests, orders, notifications and directives (except for easing the restrictions) released by the Union-level organizations and Union ministries up to 30 November 2021 have been extended until 31 December 2021 for the prevention, control and treatment of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar