As the 144th Covid-19 patient worked in his office room, he had no contact with other factory workers except some workers he shared with in the same office and some hostel-mates, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Health and Sports on the night of April 26.

The Case-144 patient worked at Chan Yi Shoe Factory located in Anawrahta Industrial Zone in Hlinthaya Township, Yangon Region.

The factory has about 8,000 workers including foreigners.

An inspection team visited the factory on April 24 for checks and gave a remark that the factory could continue operation after following and implementing its suggestions. After the announcement of a confirmed Covid-19 patient  (Case-144), a team led by the head of Yangon Region Public Health and Medical Services Department made an inspection visit to the factory.

According to the investigation, the Case-144 patient was the interpreter of a Chinese mechanic at the factory who worked from March 2 to April 15. As he had symptoms of fever and coughing on April 4, he went to the factory clinic and a private clinic on April 7.

On April 15, he left Yangon for Moenyin together with a man living in Kamayut Township. On April 16, he was put in facility quarantine in a designated place in Moenyin. As he continued to have symptoms of fever, coughing and loss of appetite, he was admitted to Moenyin Hospital.

According to the ministry’s statement, the factory closed from April 10 to 25. It reopened for a half day on April 25 with about 2,000 workers.

On April 25, he and his close contacts totalling eight were put in facility quarantine in Yangon and their samples were sent for tests. The results showed on April 26 that the man tested positive and others negative. The man’s hostel was disinfected.

Samples of 45 people from his hostel and 70 foreign workers were sent on April 26. Samples of other close contacts were also sent on April 27. They are now being watched.

The Case-144 patient had no close contact with other confirmed patients over the past 14 days.