There have been four journalists who tested positive for Covid-19 and about 70 others in close contact with them are in quarantine, said Myint Kyaw from Myanmar Press Council.
“Till yesterday, there were only 57 in quarantine, but the number has increased to 70 today,” he said on September 17.
The first to be infected is a Nay Pyi Taw-based female reporter from Kumudra Journal. She is assumed to have been infected while covering news at a press conference held at the Presidential Palace on September 7. An officer at the palace who attended the same press conference also tested positive before her.
The three more infected persons are an editor from News Watch Journal in Yangon, a man reporter from Akonthi online media and a woman reporter from Irrawaddy Lifestyle, a section of Irrawaddy online news agency.
While a media training course on writing political news was being organized in Pyay, Bago Region, an organizer and a driver tested positive for Covid-19 forcing all the trainees to be in quarantine.
As the Covid-19 outbreak gets high in Myanmar, reporters should take care while they are covering news, Myint Kyaw has warned.
“I want to say that they should be careful as they cover news. The outbreak is getting high. Press conferences should be held online. So should training courses,” he suggested.
The infected journalists and those in quarantine are receiving aid from some media organizations.
Myanmar has so far 42,99 Covid-19 cases and 61 deaths.
