Health authorities are planning to reserve Kandawnadi hospital in Chanmya Tharzi Township, Mandalay for COVID-19 patients if the confirmed patients are found and the COVID-19 suspects are kept in quarantine at Nadi Myanmar hotel owned by the Mandalay City Development Committee (MCDC) and some private hotels, said Deputy director Dr Khin Kyaw, Medical Superintendent of the Mandalay General Hospital.

“The suspect patients will not be kept in Kandawnadi hospital if the confirmed cases are found. We have plans to keep people returned from foreign countries in 14-day quarantine at Nadi Myanmar hotel and some private hotels if needed. Although they have to pay charges for staying at a hotel, it will be supervised by the Department of Health,” said Dr Khin Kyaw.

At present, there are over 30 COVID-19 suspects at Kandawnadi hospital.

“We have requested the owners of the private hotels in Mandalay to keep the COVID-19 suspects at their hotels. Currently, there are eight suspects staying at a hotel with their owned expenses,” said Dr Ye Lwin, Mayor of Mandalay and Chair of Surveillance and Respond Team (SRT).

If the number of COVID-19 suspects is increased, they will be kept at Nadi Myanmar hotel and now two staffs from MCDC returned from France are kept in quarantine at the hotel, according to Dr Khin Kyaw.

Two women, aged 68 and 22, quarantined at Kandawnadi hospital died on March 6 and 17 respectively and their deaths are not related to the COVID-19 virus, announced the Ministry of Health and Sports.