Arakan State on Monday surpassed 500 Covid-19 cases reported during the ongoing third wave of the coronavirus pandemic, with infections rising to 509 in total across 11 of the state’s 17 townships, according to the state’s military council.

“All patients with the virus are doing well and are in good health,” said U Hla Thein, information officer for the Arakan State Administration Council.

Cases have been reported in the townships of Sittwe, Maungdaw, Thandwe, Buthidaung, Myebon, Minbya, Kyauktaw, Kyaukphyu, Gwa, Taungup, and Mrauk-U, U Hla Thein told DMG.

Dr. Soe Win Paing, assistant director of the Arakan State Department of Public Health, said the public should not underestimate the deadly virus.

“Caution should be exercised to prevent Covid-19 infection,” he told DMG. “The Task Book published by the Ministry of Health and Sports contains guidelines to warn about the virus and instructions to follow. The spread of Covid-19 cannot be ignored.”

As coronavirus cases have continued to climb in Arakan State, Dr. Soe Win Paing has repeatedly warned people against large gatherings, urging the public not to leave their homes unnecessarily, to remain at least six feet apart, and to wear masks when going out is unavoidable.

On Monday, the United League of Arakan (ULA) warned that the coronavirus death toll in Myanmar was on a trajectory to exceed the first and second waves of the pandemic.

Since the virus was first detected in the country in March 2020, Myanmar had recorded 168,374 Covid-19 cases as of July 5, with 3,461 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health and Sports.

Myanmar’s third wave of Covid-19 began in May after months of relatively few new cases recorded nationwide.