Yangon Region has seen over 90 election commission members and poll workers infected with Covid-19 and six dead since the 2020 general election on November 8, according to data from the Region Election Sub-commission.

Sub-commission member Kyaw Moe Kyi said there had been Covid-19 infections despite all possible measures for prevention during the election which is crucial for the State.

“Amid Covid-19 challenges, we had to hold the election without fail. We see that number of cases even though we took all possible preventive measures,” he said.

According to the announcement from Yangon Region Election Sub-commission, 44 chairmen and members of election sub-commissions at district, township, ward and village-tract levels and 51 poll officials totalling 95 in the region tested positive for Covid-19.

Those patients received medical treatment and six with severe symptoms died, said Kyi Myint, chairman of Yangon Region Election Sub-commission.

Of those infected with Covid-19, some got infected as they collected advance votes, while some got infected on Election Day and later.

Moreover, some of their family members were also infected with the virus and some had to be quarantined.  

As a gesture of showing honour, the infected people were provided with Ks50,000 each and the six dead with Ks100,000 each.

The money was raised by the election sub-commissions at various levels .

Myanmar has so far seen over 100,000 Covid-19 cases, mostly in Yangon Region while Mandalay, Ayeyawady and Bago regions also see rising cases.