Myanmar Faces Third Wave Of COVID-19, Military Regime Buys Russian Vaccine

Illustrated Vaksin Sputnik V. (Wikimedia Commons / Mehr News Agency / Maryam Kamyab)

JAKARTA - Myanmar is negotiating to buy seven million doses of Russia's Sputnik COVID-19 vaccine, as Myanmar's military regime struggles to contain a new wave of coronavirus infections.

In an interview with Russia's RIA news agency, Myanmar's Military Regime Leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said his party planned to buy seven million doses of the vaccine from Russia, after initially planning to buy only two million doses.

"We have been in negotiations to buy more from Russia," Min Aung Hlaing said as quoted by Reuters on Thursday July 1, though it was not clear whether the vaccine was Sputnik V or the single-shot Sputnik Light vaccine.

Min Aung Hlaing, who had just returned from a visit to Moscow, Russia, said India, which was previously Myanmar's largest supplier of COVID-19 vaccine, was now unable to provide more doses due to the spike in the outbreak in the country.

"China has also sent some vaccines and we have also used them. We will also continue negotiations with China," he continued.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. (Wikimedia Commons/Vadim Savitsky)

But reported infections have spiked this month, raising fears of a much bigger wave. Many of the new infections have been reported from near the border with India.

Some health experts say the true infection rate is likely to be much higher, given the testing failures since the February 1 coup.

Meanwhile, citing The Irrawaddy, Myanmar is facing a third wave of COVID-19, with a record daily infection case of 1,312 cases last Tuesday. This figure is much higher than before June 12, which had a daily increase of less than 200 cases.

"The third wave occurred slowly with an increase in the rate (of positive tests) to around 10 percent," Min Aung Hlaing was quoted as saying in an interview with RIA.

Launching Worldometers data, Myanmar recorded a total of 157,277 COVID-19 infection cases, with 3,334 people dying and 136,443 declared cured since the pandemic took place last year.

To note, the Myanmar military regime has imposed stay-at-home orders in 11 municipalities, including Tamu and Kale in Sagaing Region; Tonzang, Hakha, Tedim, Falam and Thantlang in Chin State; Letpadan and Phyu in Bago County and Lashio and Laukkai in northern Shan State.

The Myanmar Coup. VOI editors continue to monitor the political situation in one of the ASEAN member countries. Civilian casualties continue to fall. Readers can follow news about the Myanmar military coup by tapping this link.