RAKHINE: A Myanmar government health worker was injured and his driver killed when their United Nations vehicle was ambushed as they were transporting COVID-19 test samples in Myanmar’s Rakhine state.

The area has been in a civil war between the Myanmar military and insurgents for months.

The WHO confirmed that Pyae Sone Win Maung died of his injuries after the Monday attack in the Minbya township in the north-western state of Rakhine. Reuters reported that the vehicle had come under gunfire.

“The World Health Organization is deeply saddened at the death of its personnel during a security incident in Rakhine district of Myanmar,” the WHO said in a statement Tuesday.

“All kinds of physical, verbal or psychological violence against health workforce, ”

condemned Poonam Khetrapal Singh, the WHO’s Southeast Asia director.

She said that this incident once again puts the spotlight on the extreme hardships being faced by our corona warriors — our doctors, nurses, other health workforce — especially while working in security compromised and hard-to-reach areas as they continue to contribute their best to save lives.