The Ministry of Health and Sports has warned that those who have pneumonia (2019 novel coronavirus) symptoms after travelling to Chinese city of Wuhan 14 days ago or those who had close contact with any suspected or confirmed patient or can be regarded as suspected patients.

"Despite no confirmation, the virus can be transmitted through sneezing and coughing. It can also be transmitted through hand touching. Most sufferers are diabetes, hypertension or heart disease patients. But there is no cause to fear if they take good care of their health," said Dr Khin Khin Gyi, deputy director of Central Disease Control Center (Branch) under the Public Health Department.

Travellers from the affected regions were not found to have symptoms when they entered Myanmar, but notes have taken of their addresses and hotels they will be staying at. If there is any suspected case, the places they live will have to inform the Public Health Department through the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism.

Special wards are kept ready at Waibagi Hospital in Yangon and 1,000-bed hospitals in Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw.

The Medical Services Department is taking measures such as distribution of leaflets on treatment procedures, keeping separate wards ready at those hospitals, giving training based on experiences in the outbreak of previous infectious diseases and supplying human resources, medicines and medical equipment.