NAY PYI TAW, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar announced restriction of border crossing through Myanmar-Bangladesh border gates starting from Monday to prevent the spread of COVID-19, an official from President's Office told a press briefing on Monday.
The move came after Union Minister for International Cooperation U Kyaw Tin contacted the Bangladesh ambassador to Myanmar on Sunday under the guideline of State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.
The union minister stated that Myanmar already curbed the border crossing through the border gates of its neighboring countries such as China, India, Thailand and Laos and it is only opened for the flow of trade, said Zaw Htay, spokesperson of President's office.
Therefore, Myanmar decided to restrict border crossing through Myanmar-Bangladesh border gates and requested cooperation from Bangladesh on this, which would help curb the virus spread, he said.
Myanmar has reported a total of 41 cases of infectious COVID-19, with four deaths in the country so far.
At present, people across the country are under stay-home period during the holidays of the traditional Thingyan Water Festival which was cancelled, as part of efforts to curb the coronavirus pandemic in the country.
