After 55 days without recording new community infections, authorities swiftly intervened upon discovering a COVID-19 case in Chi Linh District, Hai Duong Province, and Van Don District, Quang Ninh Province on January 27, leading to the identification of 82 new cases.
So far, the authorities have basically quarantined the area, identified individuals for testing, and activated the epidemic prevention system in localities.
Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, Head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, stated at an urgent meeting between the Steering Committee and the Government Standing Committee, on the sidelines of the 13th National Party Congress.
During the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam requested leaders of Hai Duong and Quang Ninh provinces, the Ministry of Health, and relevant forces to implement “stronger” epidemic prevention measures.
The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that due to the case in Hai Duong being linked to a new strain of SARS-CoV-2 (according to information from Japan), special caution is required to ensure maximum safety for epidemic prevention forces.
For Hai Duong Province, the provincial preventive health center has taken 190 samples for testing, resulting in 72 positive cases for SARS-CoV-2.
In Quang Ninh, authorities have implemented lockdown measures at Van Don Airport, identifying 355 F1 cases; 124 F2 cases; and 2 F3 cases related to patient 1,553, announced on the morning of January 28. Testing results revealed an additional 10 positive cases for SARS-CoV-2.
Speaking at the meeting, Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long reported that health sector support forces quickly arrived in Chi Linh District, Hai Duong, as they had previously supported Da Nang. Accordingly, the forces are rapidly taking samples from F1 and F2 cases and identifying close contacts of patient 1,552, announced on the morning of January 28.
Previously, patient 1,552 (female, 34 years old, Vietnamese nationality), is an employee of POYUN Limited Company, residing in Kim Dien, Hung Dao commune, Chi Linh city, Hai Duong Province.
The patient had close contact with a female patient who tested positive after entering Osaka (Japan).
The patient was placed in concentrated isolation and tested. The test results confirmed on the evening of January 27 indicated that the patient was positive for SARS-CoV-2; she is currently being isolated and treated at the Central Tropical Diseases Hospital, facility 2.
Patient 1,553 (male, 31 years old, Vietnamese nationality) is an employee at Van Don Airport, residing in Hong Ha ward, Ha Long city, Quang Ninh Province. Due to symptoms of fever, dry cough, and sore throat, the patient self-reported to the hospital for examination.
The hospital took samples, and the testing result on the evening of January 27 from the Quang Ninh Center for Disease Control confirmed the patient was positive for SARS-CoV-2.
The patient is currently being isolated and treated at the Central Tropical Diseases Hospital, Dong Anh facility./.
Diep Truong (TTXVN/Vietnam+)