The Latest on Covid-19 in Southeast Asia, September 10, 2020
September 10, 2020
Vietnam has officially defeated its August outbreak in Danang, recording zero new daily Covid-19 cases in early September. Singapore has wrestled its daily caseload down to a manageable level, having recorded zero deaths for nearly two months. Malaysia has been battling back small, isolated clusters while maintaining strict control over international travel. And Thailand has maintained a low level of new cases per day since May. Brunei, Cambodia, and Laos have all consistently maintained low case levels since the start of the pandemic.
But after months of avoiding major community transmission, Myanmar has emerged as Southeast Asia’s latest Covid-19 hotspot. A fragmented healthcare system, low state capacity, and ongoing conflict make Myanmar’s outbreak particularly concerning. Total cases have increased nearly five-fold over the past month while the country’s eight reported deaths are almost certainly an undercount.
The epicenter of the outbreak is Rakhine State, where active conflict between Myanmar’s military and the ethnic Arakan Army may be exacerbating the pandemic’s spread. The leader of the rebel group has accused the central government of exploiting the surge in cases to expand the military’s presence and restrict travel. This may be preventing civilians from reaching hospitals and other treatment services. The army has burned and shelled Rakhine (Arakan) villages, displacing approximately 20,000 people. And as civilians caught in the crossfire flee to Yangon, the virus is coming with them. The risk of Covid-19 spreading through Rohingya refugee camps in Rakhine also remains high.
Myanmar’s outbreak also shows that other countries that were lucky enough to avoid early outbreaks remain at risk. Cambodia and Laos have kept case counts at a minimum, but like Myanmar they have little healthcare capacity and could have difficulty grappling with hotspots should they arise. Both countries are reopening travel lanes with some neighbors, which could increase that risk.
Indonesia and the Philippines, meanwhile, are continuing to struggle against the virus. New cases might be on the decline in the Philippines. But with the highest number of deaths per capita in Southeast Asia, the country has a very long way to go before it can claim victory over the virus. And in Indonesia, new cases continue to skyrocket as the government has continued to prioritize economic recovery over public health. Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan recently reintroduced large-scale social restrictions after the capital’s initial reopening exacerbated the pandemic without delivering hoped-for economic gains.
For more details on recent developments, visit our Tracker online.
