Department of Civil Aviation under the Ministry of Transport and Communications has ordered two local airlines, namely the Myanmar National Airlines (MNA) and the Myanmar Airways International (MAI) airlines, to temporarily stop flight schedules to China in order to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus. 

The suspended airlines between Yangon and China are: China Eastern Airline, 9 Air, JC (Cambodia), Qingdao Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, Hainan Air, Spring Air, MAI, MNA, China Southern Airlines, Sichuan Airlines and Air China. 

China Eastern Airlines will suspend direct flight operations from Wuhan of China to Yangon and Mandalay till the end of February, according to its statement. 

An official from the Yangon International Airport said: “We have stepped up work to carry out thermal screenings on all passengers arrived by Chinese flights and international flights. Special attention is being paid to the health of passengers, airport staff and the public. We are making close cooperation with National Health Authority, Ministry of Health and Sports.”

Airport Health Quarantine Team is monitoring passengers using WHO-recognized Infrared Thermal Scanners. Health division of the airport has urged passengers to report the division and nearby health departments as quickly as possible if they show flu-like symptoms or show such symptoms within 14 days. 

The MAI will temporarily suspend all charter flight services to 10 cities in China as of 31 January until further notice. In addition, the MAI will also suspend Yangon-Guangzhou from February 1 to 29, according to its statement.

Myanmar sent a plane with seven crews, two Myanmar citizens and 77 foreigners from China Southern Airline from Guangzhou back to China on 31 January as a 60-year-old Chinese passenger was suspected of contracting the coronavirus. 

The suspected person from Yunnan was sent to Waibargi specialist hospital in Yangon and is being quarantined for two weeks.  His samples will be sent to the WHO-recognized lab in Thailand. Two Myanmar citizens are also being monitored at the same hospital though the duo show no flu symptoms.

Myanmar will bring 63 Myanmar students stranded in coronavirus-hit Wuhan of China, back  by a special flight on 2 February, said U Zaw Htay, spokesperson of Myanmar President Office at the press conference at the Presidential House in Nay Pyi Taw on 31 January. Myanmar students will be quarantined for 14 days at Kandawnadi Hospital in Mandalay, U Zaw Htay said.

On 31 January, Myanmar formed the Central Committee for Prevention, Control and Treatment of the Novel Coronavirus, chaired by the Minister for International Cooperation, according to the President Office’s statement. 

The number of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus rose to 11,791 in the Chinese mainland as of January 31, including 259 deaths.