20th-21st July, 2021

Covid cases have tripled in China's Yunnan province, according to the Chinese National Health Commission. 41 of the 49 new confirmed cases in the Chinese border towns on 19 July were Chinese nationals returning from Myanmar, DVB reported. General Saw Mo Shay, Commander-in-Chief of the NCA signatory DKBA died of Covid on the morning of 21 July at Yangon’s Mingaladon Military Hospital.

Since the beginning of the third wave, more than 10,000 police officers have also been reported Covid positive, a senior police official told DVB. The Shwe Phee Myay News Agency reported that 124 police transferred to Shan State from Rakhine State also infected. The CRPH issued a letter of condolence on the death of NLD’s CEC member U Nyan Win and accused the junta of failing to provide sufficient healthcare for the political prisoners. 

Dr Than Naing Soe, a spokesman for the junta-controlled Ministry of Health and Sports, told RFA that about six million doses of the vaccine would arrive in August, and that up to 16 million adults are expected to be vaccinated.

According to Mizzima, the junta allowed the UNHCR delivering the humanitarian aids to IDPs camps in Mindat town, Chin State, but not to those in nearby villages and jungles. Locals said that thousands of IDPs in the jungle have not receive any aids as there are only about 50 households in the town. Fighting between the CDF-Mindat and the junta troops resumed on 21 July after the ceasefire talks broke down on 16 July, according to the Mindat Township People's Administrative Group. Up to six junta’s battalions are currently deployed in Mindat.

The junta announced on 21 July that it has decided to close a number of cases before 1 February, including drug cases and prostitution, due to Covid outbreak. On the one hand, criticisms are mounting as the junta continues to arrest NLD members, protesters, and CDM civil servants.