Myanmar Surpasses 10,000 COVID-19 Deaths

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] As the third wave of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) rapidly spreads in Myanmar, the number of deaths officially recorded has surpassed 10,000.

According to foreign media on the 3rd, the military regime's Ministry of Health reported 3,689 new confirmed cases the previous day, raising the total confirmed cases to 306,354. Myanmar reported its first confirmed case at the end of March last year. Additionally, 330 people have died, increasing the total death toll to 10,061.

According to a report by Xinhua News Agency citing Ministry of Health data from January 31, one day before the coup, the cumulative confirmed COVID-19 cases in Myanmar were 140,145. The total deaths at that time were 3,131. Even by official counts, about 160,000 confirmed cases and approximately 7,000 deaths have increased within six months after the coup.

However, experts believe the actual number of confirmed cases is much higher, as the public health system has effectively collapsed due to the participation of medical and health personnel in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) immediately after the coup, causing a sharp decline in testing numbers.