The death toll from last week’s earthquake in Burma has surpassed 3,000, exacerbating the country’s existing humanitarian crisis due to widespread destruction.

The Burmese government reported 3,085 fatalities, 4,715 injuries, and 341 missing individuals as of Friday.

The UN reports that compromised infrastructure and a surge in patients have severely limited healthcare access in the most affected regions. They state that thousands urgently require trauma care, surgical procedures, and treatment for potential disease outbreaks.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has assessed that four hospitals and one health center have been completely destroyed, with an additional 32 hospitals and 18 health centers sustaining partial damage.

The WHO is preparing $1 million in relief supplies, including body bags, and is warning of potential disease outbreaks like cholera, according to Reuters.

“Cholera remains a particular concern for all of us,” Elena Vuolo, the deputy head of WHO’s Burma office, told the news agency.

“I’ve heard that in the next day or two there are rains [expected],” added Titon Mitra, the Burma representative of the United Nations Development Program.

“If that hits, we’ve got people, lots of people now, in temporary shelters, makeshift camps out on the streets, and that’s going to be a real problem,” he reportedly added.

Many are homeless due to the earthquake, while others avoid their homes fearing aftershocks. In Naypyitaw, workers are erecting large tents in open areas to provide shelter amid high temperatures.

The military stated that over 1,550 international rescuers were assisting locals on Thursday, with rescue supplies and equipment arriving from 17 countries.

Myanmar’s military took control in 2021, ousting Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratically elected government, leading to an ongoing civil war.

The earthquake has worsened an already critical situation, with the UN reporting over 3 million displaced and nearly 20 million in need before the quake.

In , where an unfinished skyscraper collapsed, the search continued for survivors and bodies. Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt mentioned a possible sound of life detected in the wreckage. However, as of Thursday afternoon, more than 144 hours after the earthquake, no one had been found.

The collapse of the unfinished building caused 22 deaths and 35 injuries in the city.

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