Covid-19

Padoh Saw Diamond Khin, head of the Karen Department of Health and Welfare (KDHW), explained the Omicron variant – the fourth wave of Covid-19 – is on the increase in many parts of Burma, including Karen State, protocols and restriction to prevent the spread of the infection have been revised by districts health officials in KNU-controlled areas. Padoh Saw Diamond…

The pandemic is far from ending and as new variants of the virus emerge and spread around the world, healthcare providers working for migrant communities, including Mae Sot General Hospital, Mae Tao Clinic and Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU), are stepping up their awareness raising campaign of the importance of getting vaccinated against COVID-19 to reduce the risk of being…

Camp committee members said on October 5 2021, health workers at Umphiem Refugee Camp had tested positive with Covid-19. Further tests of those in contact with the positive cases found more than 400 people had been infected by the last week of November, 2021. Saw Ni Doh, assistant camp leader, told Karen News that more cases have been reported daily.…

The Covid-19 Task Force (CTF) was formed on July 22 by the leaders of the Ethnic Health Committee (EHC) and the Ministry of Health of the National Unity Government (NUG) to effectively carry out Covid-19 prevention and control measures. Dr. Cynthia Maung, representing the Ethnic Health Committee will lead the CTF, Dr Zaw Wai Soe, the National Unity Government’s Health…

By Saw Wai Thoo and Sa I Sue Despite her early prevention strategies, Naw Hsa K’Pru Moo was the only one who was to survive. Her grandmother, father, mother and an uncle, all died within a month of COVID-19. The effect of losing her family in over such a short period has taken its toll on Naw Hsa K’Pru Moo.…

It is six months since Myanmar’s military began dismantling the institutional framework supporting the country’s fledgling democracy by propelling a deadly coup to wrest parliamentary control away from the newly-elected National League of Democracy (NLD) government. Soon after the coup in February 2021, the military swiftly targeted voices of dissent and launched a deadly campaign of violence to silence critics.…

Refugee camp residents said the rising price of food items and shortages of food supplies in the camps because of COVID-19 restrictions is causing problems. Refugees told Karen News their situation will get more difficult the longer the epidemic continues and if travel restrictions remain. Naw Keh Paw, a resident of Umphiem Refugee camp said that since the delay of…

On July 27, 2021, more than 3,000 households were affected by floodwaters, especially those houses located near or on the banks of Thaung Yin (Moei) River. The Thaung Yin (Moei) River marks the international border between Burma and Thailand. With continuous rains, the water level in Thaung Yin (Moei) River has risen above dangerous level and continues to rise. More…

Nan Khin Lin, a pharmacy shop owner in Hpa-an said people facing Covid-19’s third wave, are worried pharmacies would close, so they started hoarding medicine. Added to people’s concerns are that drugs companies have also stopped their distribution, creating shortages of medicine. Speaking to Karen News, Nan Khin Lin said she was concerned by the effect both factors would have…

The Karen Department of Health and Welfare, a KNU department providing primary healthcare to Karen communities, has recently stepped up its responses to try to stop the spread of COVID-19 by setting up screening points and enforcing temporary lockdowns in at-risk areas in Karen State. The KDHW public health initiative was met with objections from the Karen State military administrative…