Two men returning from the US and Singapore respectively have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to five in Myanmar, the Ministry of Health and Sports reported.

The ministry issued the statement on the two more cases at 1.45 am on March 27.

The 33-year-old man returning from the US is receiving treatment at Kandaw Nadi Hospital in Mandalay while the other, aged 69, returning from Singapore is at Yangon General Hospital.

The 33-year-old man, naturalized as an American citizen, living in Chanmyathazi Township, Mandalay, arrived in Myanmar on March 19 and started having symptoms of fever, coughing and tiredness on March 22. He came to Mandalay General Hospital and was transferred to Kandaw Nadi Hospital. After lab tests, he was found to be infected with the coronavirus.

After arriving in Yangon by Qatar airline at 6 pm on March 19, he spent the night in South Oakkalapa Township and went to Mandalay by Khaing Mandalay passenger bus at 10 pm on March 20. Then he went to his home in Chanmyathazi Township by mini Oway taxi, the statement said.

The 69-year-old man living in Mingalartaungnyunt Township stayed in Australia for about a month for his nose cancer treatment. Before returning to Myanmar on March 14, he also spent four days in Singapore.  He started suffering from fever, coughing and sore throat on March 25. He then has been kept at ICU of Yangon General Hospital and lab tests showed that the man tested positive.

The statement said authorities would find and expose all people who had close contact with the virus-infected men and restrict their movements. Those who had close contact with them are urged to contact nearby health departments.

In Myanmar, first two confirmed cases were discovered on March 24. One returned from the US and the other from England.

One more case in which a man returning from England tested positive emerged on March 25. The total number of COVID-19 confirmed cases has reached five.