Localities asked to continue quarantining people from coronavirus-hit countries

In its new dispatch, the MoH asked the People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to include people coming from or travelling through Iran and Italy, apart from China and the Republic of Korea (RoK), among those who have to fill in medical declaration forms and be kept in quarantine.

In particular, people coming from or traveling through Covid-19-hit areas of the four countries, where the numbers of infected cases are rising fast, or having had close contact with persons with fever, cough and shortness of breath must be put in concentrated quarantine facilities.

Meanwhile, those coming from or travelling through disease-free areas of these countries must be quarantined at home in accordance with the ministry’s guidance.

For Vietnamese nationals who don’t have to stay at concentrated quarantine establishments, health departments of the localities organising initial quarantine for them have to send information to the localities they reside in so that these persons will remain quarantined at home for 14 days in line with regulations.

So far, Vietnam has confirmed 16 patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, all of whom have fully recovered with the last one having been discharged from the hospital on February 25. The country hasn’t recorded any new cases since February 13.

Schools stay closed in Hanoi and HCM City

Hanoi authorities have allowed students in local public schools from kindergarten to senior high school to remain absent from school until after March 8 due to the Covid-19 threat.

International schools in the capital will be allowed to re-open in early March if they have confirmed their schools are safe and parents agree for their children to attend.

Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City will allow students from kindergarten to 11th grade to stay home until March 15, while 12th graders are to return to school after March 8.

Vinh Long Province and Da Nang City will have 12th graders and university students return to school on March 2, and students of all levels in the two cities will return on March 16 and March 8, respectively.

In Nghe An, Hoa Binh, Ha Tinh and Khanh Hoa Provinces, senior and junior high school students will return to school after March 1 and 8 respectively, while students at other levels will stay home until after March 15.

In most other provinces, like Thanh Hoa, Vinh Phuc and Thua Thien - Hue, junior and senior high schools will re-open on March 2, while elementary schools and kindergartens will remain closed until after March 8.

The localities’ announcements came after the Ministry of Education and Training on February 27 gave out its recommendation on the schools’ reopening dates as parents remain on high alert over the worsening outbreak of Covid-19 worldwide.

The ministry this week had to adjust the school year term for 2019-2020 after schools nationwide were forced to close amid the Covid-19 outbreak in Vietnam.

The MoH on February 28 sent notices to the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the People’s Committees of all municipalities asking them to strengthen health precautionary measures at schools and dormitories. The MoH demanded all schools and dormitories be disinfected thoroughly before students return to schools.

An isolated treatment area at Quang Xuong General Hospital in Thanh Hoa Province. (Photo: NDO/Mai Luan)

* On February 29, the Department of Health of Thanh Hoa Province said that there are currently four people suspected of having Covid-19 being isolated in district health facilities in Thanh Hoa. The province currently has 13 people in compulsory isolation at health facilities, 291 overseas workers returning home from the epidemic areas are in isolated at home, and 14 foreigners isolated themselves at home and residence.

* On February 28 and 29, in Ho Chi Minh City, the MoH’s Medical Services Administration organised a training course on the prevention and control of Covid-19 with participation of the heads of the infection control departments and hospitals from Da Nang to Ca Mau.

* Thai Binh Province has proactively arranged concentrated isolation areas in the locality to reducing the load for the provincial level hospitals in receiving overseas labourers who return home from Covid-19 hit areas. In addition to a concentrated isolation area with about 200 beds that has just been put into operation, Tien Hai and Dong Hung Districts are also urgently completing concentrated isolation venues that are capable of receiving between 250 and 270 people.

* On February 29, Hai Phong City approved the list of 27 cases who are subjected to medical isolation to prevent Covid-19 infection. This is the eighth medical isolation campaign that the northern port city has carried out, bringing the total number of people who must receive medical isolation in Hai Phong to nearly 600 people.

* As of 22:00 on February 29, the world recorded 85,703 people with Covid-19 in 61 countries and territories and the Diamond Princess cruise ship, of which 2,933 have died, including 80 outside of China.

No new cases were reported in Vietnam for the last 16 days, with all 16 confirmed cases recovered. The number of suspected cases under surveillance and isolation is 81, plus 6,009 others in close contact with them and those returning from the epidemic areas. The MoH’s task force is still supporting Vinh Phuc Province to carry out surveillance, isolation and monitoring of suspected cases, as well as those who have had close contact with them and people returning from the epidemic areas.