MUSE- Locals are worried about a spread COVID-19 as over 1,000 returnees from China have been stranded at the No.3 Basic Education High School which is one of the repatriation camps in Muse Township.

About 500 Myanmar citizens return daily from China via Nandaw Gate in Muse Township, northern Shan State.

The authorities are now carrying out thermal screening activities to the returnees.

There are around 10,000 returnees from China at the Nandaw and Mant Wane gates in Muse Township starting from April 3rd to May 11th.

They went to Ruili and Kyegaung in Yunnan Province to work. Some of them had returned to Myanmar as they were afraid of being arrested by Chinese authorities.

Locals are cooperating by staying at hotels and home quarantines in Muse.

The repatriation sub-committee for Prevention Measures Against COVID-19 systematically accepted the returnees from China as well as the Public Health Department conducted Fever Surveillance activities.  

Although China announced they will not arrest people who are overstayed, many Myanmar citizens returned to Myanmar as rumours came out that Chinese authorities detained ten people, who are overstayed in Ruili, on April 1st.

At present, the Shan State Government Committee has planned to send the returnees to their homes by trains.

Although the repatriation sub-committee had arranged to transport the returnees back home via Lashio Township, some had been stranded in Muse about three days.

Those returnees already face difficulties with accommodation problems and toilets. 

Moreover, the authorities lack to accommodate the returnees. So, the locals have worries about the spread of COVID-19 virus.