Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon, is currently experiencing a notable rise in acute diarrhea cases, further complicating the country's ongoing struggle with severe monsoon flooding and civil conflict. According to reports from the state-run Myanma Alinn newspaper on Friday, 182 patients have been admitted to the Yangon General Hospital over the past four days. Among those, 93 individuals tested positive for diarrhea-causing pathogens, though specific details regarding the pathogens or confirmation of cholera were not disclosed.
While official reports remained cautious, Eleven Media, citing Latha township lawmaker Aye Mya Thae Phyu, stated on Wednesday that the positive cases had been identified as cholera. Furthermore, the military’s information team confirmed that a 92-year-old patient has died from the illness.
Aung Lin Aye, the deputy medical superintendent at Yangon General Hospital, noted that the hospital has seen a significant increase in patient numbers and is currently prioritizing treatment to prevent further fatalities. Nanda Win, head of the Yangon Regional Department of Public Health, identified the downtown Chinatown area as the primary concentration point for these cases. He suggested that contaminated water and takeout food from local street vendors are the likely sources of the transmission, though he noted that the total number of cases has begun to show signs of decline.
In response to the outbreak, the Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported that authorities have requested street food vendors selling high-risk items to suspend operations for approximately three days. This measure has been observed in Chinatown, where several bars and restaurants confirmed their compliance with the three-day closure. Acute diarrhea remains a persistent seasonal challenge in Yangon; World Health Organization data indicates that in 2024, the city recorded more than 2,200 hospitalizations related to acute watery diarrhea, resulting in 15 deaths.
