- The Ministry of Hotels and Tourism has been carrying out for sustainable tourism development, and to ensure security, safety, and satisfaction of visitors traveling in Myanmar.
- According to the minutes of coordination meeting on the collaboration in the process of medical surveillance for COVID-19 disease during the visit of International Cruises dated on 24th February 2020 and the meeting minutes of the fifth Ministries Cooperation Committee dated on 25th February 2020, Department of Public Health, the Ministry of Health and Sports had released the following process guidelines on 26th February 2020 for medical surveillance regarding on the International Oceania Cruise Tours to Myanmar-
- To inform and coordinate with the Central Epidemiology Unit and Port Medical Division 14 days advanced in their arrivals.
- To submit the manifest of the visitors, crews especially the list of passenger boarding and crew embarking, docked seaports (including starting port) to the Port Medical Division 14 days advanced in their arrivals.
- For the Quarantine Clearance, to inform and submit the necessary endorsement documents including Martine Declaration of Health and Health Declaration Cards to the Port Medical Division 48 hours prior.
- If there is a visitor or crew suspected with any of the symptoms of COVID-19 as high fever, cough, sneezing, shortness of breath, must inform immediately to the Port Medical Division by the Captain. (If the absence found, the Captain and the respective shipping company will be taking actions by the International Health Regulations (2005) and Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases Law.)
- To submit the manifest of the individual visitors who are going to visit Myanmar and their hotels and itinerary list in details to the respective authorities.
- Besides the Port Medical Division will be taking actions in line with procedures during the docking, only after health check of individual visitors and crews for the COVID-19 Symptoms and Yellow flag off, the respective authorities shall take correspondence for necessary actions.
- If there is a visitor or crew member suspected with any of the symptoms of COVID-19 and match with case definition, immediately inform to the Public Health Department and arranged to separate and give treatment at ICU in Waibagi Hospital and to get laboratory test. During the waiting for the result, the cruise ship with all visitors and crew shall be subject to quarantine in the separated area at the International Thilawa Seaport. If the result shows positive, the cruise ship with all visitors and crew will be subject to 14 days quarantine. The cost of being quarantine, disinfection, and miscellaneous have to settle up by the respective companies and agencies.
- If there is suspect with COVID-19 symptoms during the visit in Myanmar, immediately inform the Central Epidemiology Unit, Public Health Emergency Operation Center (Phone: 067 3420168), and the Public Health Department in the respective States and Regions.
- Thus, all the stakeholders of the tourism industry are advised to note and follow up on the process guidelines aforementioned regarding COVID-19 disease medical surveillance and the service providers who are responsible for Oceania Cruise Tour are suggested to provide information about the guidelines to the visitors and crews just in time.
