Myanmar Coup Leader Says Russia To Provide Two Million COVID Vaccines | Coronavirus pandemic News

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Myanmar reported 4,320 cases on Friday, a record for a second consecutive day, and 63 deaths, as protests against the coup continue.

Myanmar’s military ruler has announced that Russia will send two million doses of the coronavirus vaccine starting this month, as the Southeast Asian country reported another record high COVID cases and deaths. 19.

Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, who led a February 1 coup against the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, said the virus was spreading rapidly in Myanmar and was told by senior Russian defense officials that help for vaccines was on the way.

“I told them I wanted two million and that they would give,” he said in remarks broadcast by army-owned Myawaddy television.

Myanmar reported 4,320 cases on Friday, a record for a second consecutive day, and 63 deaths.

Min Aung Hlaing said last month that he was looking for seven million doses of Russian vaccines.

Myanmar is in the midst of its most severe wave of infections to date, with efforts to deal with the outbreak hampered by nationwide political chaos following the military takeover.

A COVID outbreak has also been reported in its prisons, including the infamous Insein, where at least 40 prisoners are believed to have tested positive on Thursday.

At the start of the pandemic, many prisoners at Insein Prison fell ill and some died, but there was little COVID-19 testing for prisoners.

Overall, some health experts have said the actual rate of infection in Myanmar is likely to be much higher, given the collapse in testing since the coup and the health workers who have joined in. strikes to protest.

Moscow’s embrace

Russia is among the few countries to openly embrace the military government, which has been condemned around the world for the coup and the deadly crackdown on pro-democracy groups.

The military government said most of those killed or arrested were “terrorists” inciting violence.

Min Aung Hlaing said Myanmar is eager to manufacture its own COVID-19 vaccines and Russia is keen to cooperate and send a delegation to inspect its production plant during this month. He did not develop.

As the COVID pandemic rages on, protests against the military government also continue in several parts of the country.

In Launglon Township, Tanintharyi District, masked protesters staged a dawn strike on Saturday to denounce Min Aung Hlaing, while calling for the return of civilian rule, according to an article posted on social media.

In Pyikyi Takon in Mandalay, Kachin state, several protesters, including a monk, staged a candlelight strike on Friday evening to demand the end of the military dictatorship.

Photos also showed women from Wuntho County, Sagaing District, praying for peace in Myanmar and protesting against military leaders.

Arrests also continued, with security forces raiding a house in Thaketa and arresting five civilians without warrant, including a protester’s mother and two brothers, according to social media.

In a statement released on Friday, the acting chairman of the opposition national unity government, Duwa Lashi, said the military “used the virus outbreak as an opportunity to suppress the opposition and did not no sympathy for the suffering of the public “.

According to the human rights group, Association for Assistance to Political Prisoners, 898 people have been killed by the military government since the start of the coup. At least 5,127 are currently detained or have been sentenced while 1,963 have escaped arrest.



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