Myanmar morning news for April 2, 2020

Number of COVID-19 cases rises to 16 in Myanmar
The number of COVID-19 cases rose to 16 as of Wednesday in Myanmar, said the latest figures released by the Health and Sports Ministry.
— Xinhua

Yangon authorities mull street lockdown over new COVID-19 patient
Yangon authorities have quarantined 26 residents, including 2 children who live on Nilar 1 Street, Ga Ngal quarter in North Okkapala township at the Bayintnaung Tatmadaw Interrogaton Facility.
— Myanmar Times

Coronavirus threatens Myanmar’s most vulnerable in displacement camps
An estimated 350,000 displaced people across Myanmar are “sitting in the path of a public health catastrophe”, says rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW).
— BBC

Myanmar charges journalist under terrorism law, blocks news site
Nay Myo Lin, Voice of Myanmar’s chief editor, facing life sentence after publishing interview with rebel Arakan Army.
— Aljazeera

$350m World Bank grant for Rohingyas, host communities
The World Bank has approved $350 million in grant financing for three projects to help Bangladesh cope with one of the world’s largest ‘forced exodus’ of Rohingyas from Myanmar.
— Newagebd

China closes border checkpoints in northern Shan State
China has temporarily closed all border checkpoints on the China-Myanmar border in the northern Shan State, starting from 1 April.
— Eleven Myanmar

Myanmar medical worker is latest COVID-19 victim
A medical worker in Yangon became the latest victim of the deadly COVID-19 disease that claimed the life of one patient in the country on Tuesday.
— Myanmar Times

UN to Send 50,000 More Test Kits to Myanmar
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

Aung San Suu Kyi reaches out to ethnic minorities in election year
Myanmar’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has hit the provincial campaign trail well ahead of November’s general election, looking to ensure her party remains the largest in parliament despite her government’s failure to deliver on many promises to ethnic minorities — particularly peace settlements.
— Nikkei Asian Review

Myanmar’s disinfects its historic site following coronavirus death
Myanmar disinfects the Shwedagon Pagoda, one of Yangon’s historical sights, as a preventative measure against the coronavirus pandemic. The country of 54 million people, with one of the region’s weakest health care systems, confirmed its first case of the virus only last week, and the first death on Tuesday.
— Yahoo News

Fears of coronavirus catastrophe as Myanmar reports first death
Government says it is on top of the outbreak, but experts worry the disease has already been circulating for some time.
— Aljazeera

Thailand’s new asylum law leaves refugees with more questions, few protections
The Thai-Myanmar border has long been home to refugees and people displaced by Myanmar’s cycle of internal conflicts.
— Asean Today

Govt calls for youth participation in anti-Covid-19 measures
Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr Win Myat Aye organized a meeting with the representatives of youth committees from Nay Pyi Taw Council Area and regional levels yesterday afternoon.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

MoLIP updates estimated number of Myanmar population
The Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population released an estimated number of Myanmar population on 1 April.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Sayadaws recite parittas on flight over Myanmar for protection amidst COVID-19 outbreak
Senior Buddhist monks, led by Bamaw Sayadaw Dr Bhaddanta Kumara Bhivanmsa, performed a mid-air recitation of parittas on a special aircraft yesterday.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

State Counsellor holds meeting with COVID-19 frontline warriors
State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi holds the video conference with people at front line to prevent, control and treat Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Updated information about Covid-19 surveillance at 8:00 pm, 1 April 2020
The Ministry of Health and Sports is closely monitoring and conducting surveillance on the Covid-19 at international gateways, at the public hospitals, community-based monitoring and private healthcare facilities.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Almost all of Yangon set to experience blackout
Most areas in Yangon will experience blackouts from 9am to noon on April 2, the Yangon Electricity Supply Corporation (YESC) said.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar submits Thanakha on UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list
Myanmar submitted Thanakha, one of the favorite products among local people to apply on their face as a world’s intangible cultural heritage to be nominated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) at the end of March, state-run media reported Wednesday.
— Xinhua

Myanmar Investments Provides An Update On The Sale Of Mfil
Investegate announcements from Myanmar Investments, Update on the sale of MFIL. … This announcement contains inside information.
— Reuters

State Counsellor only met with UN Resident Coordinator for Myanmar: Zaw Htay
The foreigner met with the State Counsellor recently is UN Resident Coordinator for Myanmar and at the present, President and the State Counsellor don’t need to be in quarantine and are in good health, said Zaw Htay, Spokesperson of President’s Office.
— Eleven Myanmar

Internet data usage up 25% over past four weeks in Myanmar
Officials with telecommunications companies in Myanmar say that the use of internet data has risen 25 percent over the past four weeks.
— Myanmar Times

Price-gouging retailers to face action: Myanmar officials
The government it will take action against retailers who raise prices indiscriminately for items such as hand sanitiser, face masks, medicine, and other essential goods, an official from the Ministry of Commerce says.
— Myanmar Times

Nay Pyi Taw Council Chairman inspects quarantine facilities
Dr Myo Aung, Chairman of Nay Pyi Taw Council, inspected the quarantine facilities for those who returned from foreign countries in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Call for stopping military operation on Indo-Myanmar frontier
The student body lamented that the joint operation was undergoing in Naga regions despite poor villagers already living in fear of COVID-19 pandemic.
— Nenow

Ministry of Education discusses future steps along spread of COVID-19
Union Minister for Education Dr Myo Thein Gyi held a coordination meeting through a video conference yesterday morning.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Latest COVID-19 Developments in Myanmar: April 1, 2020
Myanmar’s Suu Kyi takes to Facebook to connect with people effectively in the time of coronavirus.
— Irrawaddy

World Bank cuts growth forecast, urges focus on health sector
Myanmar is better-placed than most countries in the region to weather the looming global economic downturn sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Bank says, but needs to focus on deploying resources to the health sector and softening the blow to individuals and businesses.
— Frontier Myanmar

Church ready to help Myanmar’s coronavirus battle
The Church in Myanmar is playing a key role in the battle against Covid-19 as cases surge in the impoverished and underdeveloped Southeast Asian nation.
— UCA News

No immediate plans for lockdown: Yangon Region CM
There is no plan to immediately close factories and companies in Yangon Region through a lockdown, and the region government will carry out temporary shutdowns step by step and systematically (if necessary), said Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein, at a meeting at the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (headquarters) in Yangon.
— Eleven Myanmar

Poor to Bear Brunt of Impact as COVID-19 Slows Myanmar’s Economy: World Bank
The World Bank warns COVID-19 will slow Myanmar’s economic growth to 2-3% this fiscal year, with the poor, travel-related businesses and exporters hit the hardest.
— Irrawaddy

Daily COVID-19 central-level coord meeting stresses cooperation in prevention
The daily central-level coordination meeting on preparedness and response to COVID-19 held meeting no. 45/2020 with a video conference on 30 March.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

AYA SOMPO to donate K 500 mln for frontline health care workers
A meeting between Union Minister for Health and Sports Dr Myint Htwe, and officials from the AYA SOMPO Insurance Company was held at the ministry in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

MoHS holds daily meeting on response to COVID-19
Union Minister for Health and Sports Dr Myint Htwe attended the central coordination meeting (46/2020) on containment and prevention of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) via video conferencing yesterday.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Myanmar Police Continue Arrests, Interrogations of Reporters Over AA Coverage
Following Monday’s arrest of the VOM editor-in-chief, police on Tuesday questioned journalists from two other news organizations over their reporting on the Arakan Army.
— Irrawaddy

Two Civilians Killed in Myanmar’s Rakhine State During Alleged Military Airstrike
Residents said five military helicopters bombed two villages, killing two civilians. But Myanmar’s military denies the claims.
— Irrawaddy

Mass Disinfections to Combat Coronavirus Pose New Health Hazard
Experts have questioned the effectiveness of mass disinfection operations, including the use of drones, to fight COVID-19, saying more targeted measures are preferable.
— Irrawaddy

The Day Myanmar’s Socialist Govt Nationalized Missionary and Private Schools
On this day in 1965, the socialist government under Gen. Ne Win nationalized nearly 130 schools in Myanmar, sending its once proud education system into a long decline.
— Irrawaddy

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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