Yangon’s Dala bridge construction suspended over COVID-19 cases

Construction News Myanmar
Dala Bridge

Yangon’s Dala bridge construction suspended over COVID-19 cases

Construction works on the Dala bridge will be suspended after four Myanmar engineers from the construction team tested positive for COVID-19, U Tun Yin, regional Hluttaw MP from Dala, said.

“It is impossible to continue the construction work. If we do not suspend work now, the virus will spread to everyone. We decided to halt work on the bridge,” he said.

“Three people had fallen sick last week, and were encouraged to take the test. They initially didn’t want to take the test, and said they were just feeling tired. Three days later the number of people complaining of symptoms increased to fifteen. We cannot confirm the exact number of infections at this stage though,” he added.

Four out of a team of 15 have so far tested positive.

“If these people had been tested early, it wouldn’t have been less of a problem. Although only four workers have tested positive, the number may increase,” he added.

The constructions project involves a Korean and a local company. U Tun Yin said that the Myanmar company may face legal action under the Natural Disaster Management Law.

“Although the Korean company prohibited the sick employees from doing work, the Myanmar company allowed them to continue on the site,” he said.

“The four positive cases are Myanmar engineers. We don’t know how many workers are at the site, and we’re not allowed to enter and we haven’t seen anyone in quarantine yet. The site has been covered with 20-foot corrugated zinc sheets,” U Tun Win, head of People’s Hospital in Dala, said.

“They [site workers] have no contact with the people. They have their own designated doctors and health care arranged by their company and they are not related to us. In short, we don’t know anything about them,” he continued.

On the morning of September 16, nine more positive patients including those four Dala bridge engineers, tested positive. The number of COVID-19-positive people in that township now totals 30. – Translated

Source: https://www.mmtimes.com/news/dala-bridge-construction-suspended-over-covid-19-cases.html