YANGON — Restaurants along the popular 19th Street in Latha Township have been ordered to close for about a week from August 13 amid an outbreak of diarrhea, according to local sources.

The restaurants began closing on the morning of August 13 after authorities instructed businesses on 19th Street to suspend operations for approximately one week.

“We only found out this morning. We were told that the shops had to close because of the diarrhea outbreak. All the shops on 19th Street have been closed,” said an employee of a restaurant on 19th Street.

A meeting was held involving relevant government departments, municipal authorities, the Myanmar Red Cross, ward administrators and regional lawmakers after the outbreak was identified in Latha Township. Following the meeting, food vendors selling items considered to pose a risk of causing diarrhea—including homemade pickles, salads and skewered foods—were reportedly instructed to suspend operations for two to three days, according to regional lawmaker Daw Aye Mya Thae Phyu.

According to a response from the Yangon Region Government  regarding the outbreak, Yangon General Hospital had recorded 54 patients with severe diarrhea as of August 13, while one elderly patient had died.

Between August 9 and 10, 28 diarrhea patients were admitted to Yangon General Hospital. On August 11, another 70 new patients arrived, bringing the number of hospitalized patients to 98. Eight patients were subsequently discharged, while a 92-year-old patient died.

A further 84 new patients arrived at the hospital on August 12. As of August 13, 54 patients had tested positive for the pathogen associated with severe diarrhea.

Under the leadership of the Yangon Region Health Care Management Committee, municipal authorities, the Department of Public Health and district and township General Administration Department officials are conducting inspections of food and water supplies in the affected townships of Lanmadaw, Latha, Pabedan and Kyauktada.