Virus monitoring to prioritize countries operating direct flights with Myanmar

Virus monitoring to prioritize countries operating direct flights with Myanmar
Health checks being conducted at Yangon International Airport
Health checks being conducted at Yangon International Airport
Published 3 March 2020

 

As Myanmar has direct flights with COVID-19-hit China, South Korea, Singapore and Japan, monitoring measures must prioritize passengers from those countries, said Union Minister for Health and Sports Dr Myint Htwe.

The minister made the remark during a central level coordination meeting on the coronavirus monitoring and prevention, according to a statement released by the ministry. 

The minster called for greater efforts for monitoring passengers from those countries as well as other countries such as Italy and Iran that have director or transit flights with Myanmar. 

Plans are underway to restrict free visas for South Korea as infection rates rise and more passengers from that country enter Myanmar with individual visas. 

The Ministry of foreign Affairs announced that issuance of visa on arrival to tourists from the People’s Republic of China at Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw international airports had been suspended. 

The World Health Organization upgraded the outbreak level to a very high level regarding the coronavirus on January 30, urging people not to travel unnecessarily. 

Currently, about 200 passengers enter and exit Myanmar via Korean airlines daily. As Korea sees a high virus outbreak, it is important to restrict or ban visas. So, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is cooperating with the Immigration Department. 

Korean airlines operated direct flights between Seoul and Yangon on a daily basis. But as of March 3, there will be only four flights in a week.