The UK warned the UN Security Council on Thursday that half of the Burmese population, or around 27 million people, could be infected with Covid-19 within the next two weeks.
The country had called for a meeting in response to what it called a
"desperate"
situation
in Burma, where the military carried out a coup in February.
Read also: Six months after the coup, Burma hit by a third wave of Covid
The UK urged the Council to ensure that Resolution 2565, which calls for ceasefires in conflict areas to allow delivery of coronavirus vaccines, is respected in Burma.
"It is vital that we see how (it) to apply,"
pleaded British Ambassador Barbara Woodward. Burma has been in turmoil since the junta took power, with many hospitals not equipped to cope with the influx of cases, after many medical staff left their posts to protest the coup of state.
The UN estimates that only 40% of health facilities in Burma are still functional. She also estimates that the junta carried out at least 260 attacks on medical personnel and establishments, detaining at least 67 medical officials.
"While the new wave of Covid-19 is spreading like wildfire across the country, it is unfortunate that more lives are lost when the Burmese army uses Covid-19 as a weapon against the population"
, national unity government spokesperson Susanna Hla Hla Soe said.
According to Burmese state media this week, junta authorities have asked
"friendly countries"
for
help in
dealing with the coronavirus. Just under 5,000 new cases of Covid-19 were reported on Wednesday, up from 50 a day in early May, but analysts believe the true toll is likely much higher. Almost 1.75 million people have so far been vaccinated according to the junta. The latter has ordered a total of four million doses of vaccine from China, and Beijing must donate two million more doses. A shipment of 1.5 million doses also arrived from India earlier this year.
