HCMC – Although thousands of people who were in close and indirect contact with the Covid-19 cases in HCMC have tested negative for the virus, Vietnam is still at high risk of Covid-19 transmission, according to the national steering committee for Covid-19 infection prevention and control.
On December 3, the Ministry of Health asked the departments of health and medical centers to consider pandemic prevention and control as the top priority. Hospitals and clinics should review their prevention and control measures and seriously comply with regulations on classifying, quarantining and testing those suspected of infection, Thanh Nien Online newspaper reported.
The steering committee asked the HCMC Department of Health to direct medical centers in the city to quickly classify and test those suspected of being infected with the virus to immediately detect new cases. The department was also asked to establish teams to inspect medical centers.
According to the steering committee, after 88 straight days without locally-transmitted Covid-19 cases, HCMC has reported new cases, who were infected with the disease from imported cases and then transmitted the virus to others. In the northern region, large events are in the offing, so the risk of Covid-19 infection is high.
On December 3, HCMC Vice Chairman Le Thanh Liem asked departments, agencies and districts to enhance efforts to prevent and control the pandemic.
The municipal government required closely controlling outside sources of infection, calmly responding to all situations and zoning off pandemic-hit areas. All people entering Vietnam have to be placed under quarantine at centralized quarantine centers managed by the military and approved lodging facilities.
Those under quarantine must comply with regulations, regularly wear face masks and limit contact with surrounding people. Heavy sanctions will be imposed on agencies and individuals violating regulations, posing a high risk of pandemic transmission.
In case the pandemic continues to spread in the community, the department must propose the municipal authorities impose social distancing measures in high-risk areas. In addition, the city will cease events and activities with the participation of a large number of people.
HCMC Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong called for increased vigilance to stem the spread of Covid-19 in the community. The Health Department and districts must accelerate the traceability of people who were in close and indirect contact with Covid-19 patients.
As for people quarantined at home, the local authorities must take responsibility if they leave their houses. The municipal Department of Health must review regulations on quarantine at home and minimize the number of people quarantined at home.
The department will launch unannounced inspections into centralized quarantine centers.
In Hanoi, municipal Chairman Chu Ngoc Anh has checked the pandemic prevention and control measures at Garment 10 Corporation and Duc Giang Hospital in Long Bien District and asked for the enhancement of inspections into centralized quarantine centers and supervision of those quarantined at home.
