Civilians in Hpruso Township affected by the conflict and outbreak of COVID-19 urgently need medicine and test kits.

A woman helping internally displaced persons (IDPs) told Kantarawaddy Times that while they mainly need medicines, there are not enough tests for IDPs and villagers, and not enough fuel to visit everyone.

”There may be 22 families living in one village, but we can only test two houses,” she said, explaining that they are looking for donors who can provide more tests, fuel and personal protective equipment, which is also lacking in the remote areas where they work in Karenni State.

The woman said infection rates are alarmingly high and she is concerned that the contagion could spread everywhere. Although only those who are symptomatic are tested, 75 percent have tested positive.

Most are between 19 and 54 years old, but some seniors and one pregnant woman also have the virus.

Before the coup, people were quarantined in schools, but now IDPs are living in those buildings, leaving infected villagers at home, a medic explained.

“We do not have many buildings. For example, if a family has 9 members, they stay together in their house, which is sealed off. We try to provide them with the necessary medicines, but the reality is that we do not have enough. We tell them to maintain regular eating and sleeping habits even though what they really need is medicine and vitamins,” she told Kantarawaddy Times.

Some untested villagers died after falling ill. Since they were not tested, no one knows if they had COVID-19. But volunteers tested their family afterward.

About 100 people have tested positive in the township, where Burma Army offensives and fighting with Karenni resistance fighters have displaced more than 4,000 people.