Myanmar cancels upcoming elections in several regions as Covid-19 cases escalates

A medical worker take a swab sample of a woman to test for Covid-19 coronavirus at a quarantine facility in Yangon. Myanmar govt announced that the Covid-19 infections has surged to 33,488 in the country with the death toll reaching 799 as of Saturday morning (Oct 17, 2020). - AFP

YANGON, Oct 17 (Xinhua): Myanmar's Union Election Commission (UEC) on Saturday announced cancellation of upcoming general elections in some townships of the country's regions and states.

The commission called off polls in some places of Bago region, Kachin, Kayin, Mon, Rakhine and Shan states, citing that the areas do not meet a condition to hold free and fair elections as a reason.