Bac Ninh authorities hosted an urgent meeting to deploy immediate response as the northern province reported nine more cases of COVID-19 linked with a pandemic cluster at the Hanoi-based National Hospital for Tropical Diseases on May 6.
The health sector of Bac Ninh Province has tested over 900 samples and put more than 100 people in isolation.
At the conference, Chairperson of Bac Ninh Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Huong Giang suggested that local departments and agencies should strengthen epidemic prevention and control while accelerating the tracing, localising and stamping out of outbreaks, as well as building plans to ensure safety for the upcoming national election.
Meanwhile, nine cases of COVID-19 associated with the pandemic cluster at the Hanoi-based National Hospital for Tropical Diseases were reported on the morning of May 6.
On the day, the health department of northern Thai Binh Province also reported five new cases linked with the hospital’s pandemic cluster.
Thai Binh has decided to impose social distancing across the province from 12:00 on May 6, while activating anti-COVID-19 groups. Local preschools and students at all levels must remain home from school until further notice.
The two other cases were recorded in the northern province of Hung Yen.
The localities have quickly conducted contract tracing and rolled out measures to seal off pandemic-hit areas.
Located in Hanoi’s outlying district of Dong Anh, the hospital was the frontline facility in the COVID-19 fight. On May 4, a doctor of the hospital was confirmed positive for the coronavirus.
Today, soldiers from the Vietnamese army’s chemical division disinfected the hospital which has been a COVID-19 hotspot in the latest outbreak.
The hospital has been put under 14-day lockdown, starting May 5. About 400 employees of the hospital are being quarantined there. During the lockdown, the hospital will only admit new COVID-19 patients.
A doctor of the Military Hospital 105 has also tested positive for coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 which causes COVID-19.
The 43-year-old doctor had participated in a training course at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi’s Dong Anh District before the hospital was put under lockdown.
The Military Hospital 105 has defined 22 people who had close contact with him. It has also been taking samples from its staff for COVID-19 testing.
Facing the complicated developments of the epidemic, the People's Committee of Quang Ninh Province issued an official letter on suspending sightseeing and tourism activities to prevent and combat the epidemic from 12 pm today.
From 0:00 on May 7, Cat Hai District in the neighbouring city of Hai Phong has stopped welcoming tourists, while all religious activities and crowded gatherings in public areas and beaches are also required to halt.
On the May 6, the central city of Da Nang confirmed a new case, a staff member of the New Phuong Dong nightclub. The apartment where the patient lives has been blocked. On May 4, a staff of the nightclub was confirmed positive for the virus.
Locals residing in the 12T3 apartment building provide samples for testing on the morning of May 6, 2021. (Photo: Anh Dao)
Also on May 6, the health sector in the neighbouring province of Quang Ngai announced a new case in Quang Ngai City’s Tinh Ky Commune linked with a pandemic outbreak at the New Phuong Dong nightclub.
Following the detection, local authorities immediately ordered the temporary closure of schools in the commune and a ban on entry of vessels to the area in a bid to curb the spread of the disease.
On the same day, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training required education institutions to adjust their plans to end the second semester tests for local students before May 9.
In the face of complicated developments of COVID-19, high schools in Ha Tinh Province will push the early finish for the second semester exams to before May 8.
Local schools were asked to continue to tighten epidemic prevention and control to ensure safety for students when going to school.
Nghi Xuan High School (Ha Tinh Province) plans to end the second semester exams before May 8 for students in grades 10 and 11. (Photo: NDO/Ngo Tuan)
