A group of Chin youth who earlier this month made the long trip to Burma’s new capital Naypyidaw to participate in the 63rd anniversary celebration of Union day are now stranded because several members of the group showed symptoms of the H1N1 influenza virus.

On the 4th February approximately 50 Chin Youth headed to Naypyidaw to represent their state in a Union Day cultural dance program . Mizzima has been informed that when some members of the group got sick and showed signs of the H1N1 influenza virus officials in Naypydiaw decided to prevent the entire group from returning home in an attempt to contain the spread of the virus.

A Chin mother whose daughter is stranded in Naypidaw told Mizzima that her daughter told her.  "We all are not allowed to go back home because the H1N1 virus was found among some of us. And we are fed protection tablets and checked up in morning, afternoon and evening.” The mother hoped they might be allowed to leave on 25th February.

A journalist in Rangoon told Mizzima that some of the youths were admitted to hospital and that most of them are from Chin and Shan states. But still the government has not yet confirmed whether the youth in fact have H1N1 influenza or not.

"When we asked the Neypyitaw Health Ministry, they said that MR TV reports on the latest news about the H1N1 virus every day," the journalist said.  When pressed further the Health Ministry officials refused to disclose more details about the Chin students, the journalist added.

On February 8 the Burmese regime’s official newspaper the New Light of Myanmar reported that many youth from different states and divisions had arrived in the new capital to participate in union day festivities and were staying at Naypyidaw’s No.7 Guest House.