Myanmar aims to buy more Russian and Chinese COVID-19 vaccines as cases rise, Health News, ET HealthWorld

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Myanmar negotiates purchase of seven million doses of Sputnik COVID-19 vaccine from Russia, junta chief said, as authorities in Southeast Asian country try to fight new wave coronavirus infections.

In an interview with Russian news agency RIA, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said that after initially planning to buy two million doses, Myanmar is now looking to buy seven million.

“We have started negotiations to buy more from Russia,” Min Aung Hlaing said. He did not say whether it would be the Sputnik V vaccine or the single injection Sputnik Light vaccine.

The junta leader, who recently returned from a trip to Russia, said neighboring India, which initially supplied most of Myanmar’s vaccines, was unable to provide more doses due of its own epidemic.

“China has also sent vaccines and we have also used them. We will also continue negotiations with China,” he said.

Myanmar has recorded 155,697 cases of COVID-91 and 3,320 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to data from the Ministry of Health.

But reported infections have jumped this month, raising fears of a much larger wave. Many new infections have been reported near the border with India.

Some health experts say the actual rate of infection is likely to be much higher given the collapse in testing since the February 1 coup.

Health workers joined a civil disobedience movement to protest the overthrow of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whose government had brought two waves of infection under control.


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