Although the demand for oxygen in Yangon Region has decreased, there is a need in rural areas, according to some charities.
Oxygen demand in some cities, including Yangon Region, has risen since July, but is now declining in Yangon Region.
“Yangon does not need that much now. Oxygen concentrators and oxygen cylinders returned from Yangon will be sent to rural areas as there is a need in rural areas,” said a person from the Khaing Hnin Wai charity.
Some of the towns planned to deliver oxygen concentrators and oxygen cylinders are townships in Bago and Ayeyawady.
"We are trying to send them to more cities to help. We will have to reconsider whether we can send the available quantity or not,” he said.
Currently, the organization is rented oxygen concentrators and oxygen cylinders free of charges in Myawaddy in Kayin State and Bago in Bago Region.
Although people in in Yangon Region used to be queuing for oxygen at oxygen plants, there are now fewer queues than before, said Aung Thu Win, who is helping to queue for oxygen.
“In the past, we had to line up. In the past, we used to help 10 people a night, but now there are only three or four people a night. However, there is still a need for oxygen in rural areas,” he said.
Similarly, Zaw Min Latt from Nwe Aye Mosque said, “People who need oxygen are less than before. In the past, I had to help them a lot and it is not like that now.”
However, the market to fill up oxygen is still present and there were people who asked hundreds of thousands of kyats to fill up oxygen in the past and now they are still asking tens of thousands of kyats to fill up oxygen.
"There are people who asked tens of thousands of kyats to fill up oxygen and the black market still exists,” said Aung Thu Win, who provides free oxygen tanks.
Some charities say the death toll from the suspected COVID-19 has dropped slightly since July, but has not returned to normal.
In July, the death toll from suspected COVID-19 rose in Yangon Region, with charities carrying at least 20 bodies a day.
Although the death toll has not dropped significantly, it was declined compared to July, said Ko Thurain from the Sanchaung Auxiliary Fire Brigade.
In July, the death toll from the suspected COVID-19 rose sharply in Yangon Region, with bodies being dumped in cemeteries.
During that time, municipal employees working in cemeteries in the region were worked in three shifts to cremate them.
On July 19, Yangon Region Prime Minister Hla Soe wrote on his social media page that more than 1,500 people had been cremated in nine cemeteries in the region, including those under the municipal administration.
