Independent testing for the coronavirus will be available in Myanmar beginning February 20 as the results of a WHO-referred laboratory and local results are compatible, according to the Ministry of Health and Sports.
Under the patronage of World Health Organization, the National Health Laboratory of Myanmar has received lab equipment for diagnosing coronavirus from Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Science of Thailand and National Center for Global Health and Medicine and Juntendo University of Japan.
After parallel testing between the reference laboratory and HHL, their results were to be the same. Therefore, lab tests for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can start in Myanmar as of February 20.
The coronavirus is spreading to 26 countries including China.
According to the WHO figures available till February 16, there were 51,857 confirmed cases across the world. Of them, China alone had 68,584 cases—51,174 confirmed cases and 17,410 suspected cases. Till February 16, 1,666 people had died.
