Hanoi determined to reduce infection risks in concentrated quarantine areas

Dung, who is also deputy head of the standing board of the municipal Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, asked concentrated quarantine facilities to coordinate with localities and medical agencies to classify risks from F1 cases. Those with high risk will be arranged in a separate area.

He requested the sites to regularly disinfect places that are shared by quarantined people and ensure safe space among them, promote communications to raise public awareness of prevention and control measures, while enhancing inspections and strictly punishing those violating anti-pandemic regulations.

The same day, Hanoi’s Centre for Diseases Control moved suspected COVID-19 cases from the concentrated quarantine area in the Military School of Hanoi Capital High Command to FPT University dorms after dozens of cases were detected in the area on May 30 night.

Those who tested negative for the SARS-CoV-2 at least once have been moved to the university’s dorm.

According to the city’s Health Department, the military school based in Son Tay town had 927 F1 people who had close contact with previously-confirmed cases in the city.

For the last few days, many quarantined F1s tested positive for the coronavirus.

On May 30 night, health authorities conducted COVID-19 tests for all people staying at the Military School, detecting 27 new cases who have now been transferred to hospitals for treatment.

According to the city’s CDC, the quarantined area has a high density of people who had close contact with confirmed cases for days, so there was high possibility that they were infected.

Director of the city’s Health Department Tran Thi Nhi Ha said that to avoid cross-infection within the concentrated quarantined area, only four to six people were allowed to share a room.

Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Chu Ngoc Anh on May 31 morning inspected the concentrated quarantine area in the military school.

“Many new COVID-19 cases reported in this concentrated quarantine area showed that local authorities effectively traced and identified suspected cases in high-risk areas,” he said, asking for higher alert in disease prevention and control at concentrated quarantined areas.

He also asked for reduced density and increased testing to detect new cases and avoid cross-infection.

He asked the Health Department to review and give priority to vaccinate all people working at concentrated quarantine areas, including cleaners.

Since April 27, Hanoi reported 412 COVID-19 cases including 93 cases relating to Dong Anh branch of the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases and 50 cases relating to Tan Trieu branch of the National Cancer Hospital.