CNI News
13 July 2022
As eight sailors, who tested positive for coronavirus, from Rakhine-Bangladesh border trade have recovered from COVID-19, border trade was not affected.
As various measures under different restrictions for prevention of COVID-19 have been taken at Sittway Border Trade Camp since the resumption of border trade, the current outbreak will not have an impact on border trade, Rakhine State Federation of Chambers and Commerce Chairman U Tin Aung Oo told the CNI News.
U Tin Aung Oo said, “The outbreak has not affected border trade so far. This is mainly because we have taken various measures for prevention of COVID-19 as much as we can since border trade resumed in late 2021. Those who return from Bangladesh are required to be placed under quarantine. They were required to stay under quarantine for ten days previously. Now, we place them three days under quarantine. As we took such measures and tested them, we were able to separate and give treatments to those who tested positive for coronavirus. So, we have not seen any impact of the current outbreak on border trade at border trade camps so far.”
A quarantine centre in Bangladesh-Rakhine border trade zone.
Two vessel crew recently tested positive for coronavirus and a total of eight crew members have tested positive for COVID-19 in July.
Those who recently tested positive do not suffer serious symptoms and were hospitalized just for patient monitoring and border trade activities are being carried out as usual.
Currently, only those who have been vaccinated are allowed to engage in border trade in Rakhine State while those who return from Bangladesh are required to be placed under quarantine and to receive tests, Assistant Director Dr. Soe Win Paing of Rakhine State Public Health Department told the CNI News.
“We allow only those who have been vaccinated to engage in border trade. All those who engage in border trade including company staff, crew members, loading and unloading labourers at entry points like Mingan port are required to submit their vaccine certificates. We take such measures. When they return from other countries, they are required to be placed under quarantine in accordance with rules and regulations. When they are under quarantine, we test them for COVID-19. So, we were able to identify those who were infected,” he said.
Bangladesh-Rakhine border trade.
As it is impossible to say whether recent outbreaks were caused by Omicron or new variants of Omicron in Sittwe due to lack of equipment, samples have to be sent to Yangon, according to Dr Soe Win Paing.
To prevent impacts of COVID-19 on border trade, the Ministry of Health and Republic of Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry are cooperating for COVID-19 prevention measures.
The RUMFCCI has urged merchants, crew members and loading and unloading workers to cooperate with authorities by observing restrictions.
