In Laiza, the de facto headquarters of the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO), one of Burma's most powerful ethnic armed groups, up to 50 confirmed transmissions of COVID-19 have been reported daily, and at least two people died from the disease in March, according to the KIO's COVID-19 Response and Control Committee.

Committee secretary, Col Laphai Hing Wawm, confirmed to NMG that the deceased, both men aged 30, were also suffering from other diseases. They were already very sick when they arrived at the hospital, he said. One of them was given a full dose of antiviral drugs, but died anyway.

After examining at least 500 people a day, Kachin medics find between 10 and 50 infections. Laphai Hing Wawm said Omicron spreads too quickly and when one person is sick, their whole family is infected. But he said most people have received Chinese vaccines.

According to the COVID-19 Response and Control Committee, more than a thousand cases have been reported in Laiza since the latest outbreak began on 10 January.

Laphai Hing Wawm said all travellers are tested at the entry checkpoint in Laiza and residents must follow the disease prevention protocol, but the town, which lies on the border with China in Kachin State, hasn't been sealed off nor has it been locked down.