The Mon State government prepared many buildings to quarantine thousands of migrant workers expected to start returning from Thailand and other areas of Burma starting from today.

Myint Than Win, the Mon State government office director, told NMG they are expecting over 10,000 migrant workers. He said they need to ensure there's more than enough quarantine centres for all the returnees.

The government prepared a building in downtown Mawlamyine to accommodate 3,000. Other buildings in the capital city will have room for about 6,000. Spaces were set aside in Thaton, Beelin, Kyaikhto, Ye and Thanphyu Zayap townships.

Mon State Chief Minister Dr Aye Zan said the government will monitor all the workers returning from Thailand to stop the spread of the coronavirus in Burma. He said the government will accept full responsibility for food and health care provided at the quarantine centres.

Medical checkpoints to check the health of all returnees will be at major state entry points and operated day and night by health workers, immigration officers, police and firefighters.

Since April 26, the government set up checkpoints to monitor the health of travellers returning from Yangon. Myint Than Win said it’s important to check everyone entering the state from the commercial capital because “there are many confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Yangon.”  

Although there’s enough medical equipment at the quarantine centres, public health officials said they need more medical staff.

In early April, more than 1,000 workers returned to Mon State from Thailand using the Mae Sot-Myawaddy Friendship bridge. They were quarantined at Mawlamyine University.

After Thailand shut the Friendship Bridge, workers entered Mon State through border crossings controlled by the New Mon State Party in Phayarthonsu.