Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has pulled out of the first event of her election campaign, citing a worsening outbreak of the coronavirus in the country.

Suu Kyi, who rules as state counselor, was set to tour the constituency where she is seeking re-election in the commercial capital of Yangon on Tuesday, the first official day of campaigning ahead of polls set for November 8.

But she said in a live broadcast on Facebook that the health minister had advised her to cancel the trip, Reuters reported.

“At the moment the ministry of health is the most powerful. We must follow the instructions of the ministry,” she said