Authorities are allowed 14 medical staff including two doctors from Sagaing Hospital to return to their duties as the result of the suspect patient of COVID-19 virus they had close contact with showed negative, according to the Ministry of Health and Sports.

The suspect attended the hospital on March 1 and he had been quarantined in Kandawnadi Hospital in Mandalay next day as he showed signs of COVID-19 virus, according to Public Health Department of Sagaing district.

The ministry announced on March 4 that the lab result of the patient showed he had not been infected with the COVID-19 virus and the ministry allowed the medical staff to return to their duties.

Dr Khin Khin Htar, Deputy Head of Public Health Department of Sagaing district said, “The authorities informed us that a 24-year old man from a village in the region had shown signs of COVID-19 virus and he was quarantined in Kandawnadi Hospital in Mandalay. Our medical team visited the village to monitor the situation. In the meantime, the ministry didn’t announce him officially as a person under investigation (PUI) as they don’t want the public to get into a panic with unnecessary rumours. His family was kept in home quarantine. On March 3, the ministry’s website announced they are waiting for the lab result of the PUI in Sagaing. It also announced he was tested negative the next day.”

“The patient was admitted to the Sagaing hospital initially and he had stomach ache and vomit. He didn’t ill and he was admitted to a specify ward in hospital. He had the record of TB patient and we transferred him to Mandalay general hospital. They checked his health and sent him to Kandawnadi Hospital. The authorities ordered the medical staff closed contact with him in Sagaing hospital to stay at home. They disinfected the bed in the hospital. We told him to inform us if he shows signs of COVID-19 virus,” she said.