People in Myanmar's Yangon region asked to stay at home during traditional water festival holidays

A volunteer spraying disinfectant at a shopping centre during preventive measures against the spread of the coronavirus, on Saturday (April 4). Myanmar reported its first coronavirus death -- a 69-year-old man who returned to the country in mid-March after receiving cancer treatment in Australia. - AFP

YANGON: People in Myanmar's Yangon region are asked to stay at home during the holidays of the traditional Thingyan Water Festival from April 10-19, a regional government official told Xinhua on Saturday (April 4).

"We take this measure so as to curb the spread of the Covid-19 (coronavirus)," Karen Ethnic Affairs Minister Naw Pan Thinzar Myo of Yangon Region said.

During the 10-day holiday, people are asked not to leave their homes, except for important health matters and grocery shopping.

The measures will be effective to all people in the region, excluding those working for prevention and control of the disease, and treatment of the patients, among others.

Myanmar reported its first coronavirus death -- a 69-year-old man who returned to the country in mid-March after receiving cancer treatment in Australia.

The country of 54 million people, with one of the region's weakest health care systems, only confirmed its first case last week.

So far, Myanmar has reported 20 Covid-19 cases so far in almost two weeks since its first two cases were reported on March 23. - Xinhua/Asian News Network