Disease Threat Looms as Myanmar Quake Toll Tops 3,000

Photo Zay Myo Lin

The death toll from Myanmar’s catastrophic earthquake has climbed to over 3,000, as extreme weather threatens to trigger disease outbreaks among survivors still sleeping outdoors amid collapsed homes, destroyed hospitals, and ongoing civil unrest.

The 7.7-magnitude quake—Myanmar’s strongest in over a century—struck last Friday, devastating parts of central Myanmar and affecting more than 28 million people. With many hospitals destroyed or damaged and thousands displaced, health experts warn that rising temperatures and incoming rains could compound the crisis.

According to the ruling junta, 3,085 people are confirmed dead, with 4,715 injured and 341 still missing. In regions such as Mandalay, Sagaing, and Naypyitaw, survivors are sheltering in makeshift camps under the searing 38°C heat, fearful of returning to structurally unsound buildings.

The World Health Organization has raised alarms over the heightened risk of cholera, dengue, and malaria. "Cholera remains a particular concern," said Elena Vuolo, deputy head of WHO’s Myanmar office, referencing a previous outbreak in Mandalay. Around half of the healthcare facilities in affected zones have been rendered inoperable, further hampering medical response efforts.

WHO is preparing $1 million in emergency supplies, including body bags and health kits, as local hospitals erect temporary shelters to care for the injured. But worsening weather is expected to make the situation even more perilous.

Myanmar’s meteorological department has warned of unseasonal rains starting Sunday and lasting through 11 April. Aid organisations fear that flooding in already devastated areas could accelerate the spread of waterborne diseases. "If that hits, we’ve got people in makeshift camps, and that’s going to be a real problem," said Titon Mitra, the UNDP’s representative in Myanmar.

The ongoing civil conflict, sparked by the 2021 military coup, continues to complicate access to the worst-hit regions. Relief agencies are urging the junta to grant full humanitarian access, warning that further delays could deepen an already dire humanitarian crisis.

As the international community rushes to respond, Myanmar faces a race against time—not only to rescue and treat survivors but to stave off the deadly secondary effects of disaster in a country already on its knees.

-2025-04-04