On August 1, Da Nang devised a plan to organise mass testing for the SARS-CoV-2 virus on its citizens who are living in areas subjected to isolation, as well as inpatients, family members and caregivers of inpatients, and people who used to work and practice at Da Nang Hospital, Da Nang C Hospital, Hoan My Da Nang Hospital and the Da Nang Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation Hospital.
On the same day, a series of dormitories in the city were cleaned to hand over to the local authorities to serve as special isolation camps. Students who are stuck in these dormitories will be arranged into separate areas to avoid cross infection.
On August 1, the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in Ca Mau province announced that it has identified over 500 returnees from the epidemic-hit areas of Da Nang, Quang Ngai and Quang Nam. 115 were tested, of which 65 tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 and the rest are awaiting their results.
Also on August 1, the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in Quang Binh Province requested local governments to coordinate with the provincial Fisheries Department to strengthen inspection and supervision over fishermen who have visited Tho Quang fishing port in Da Nang since early July. The local authorities have contacted more than 500 fishing boat owners to provide specific information on the disease, while requiring fishermen who regularly visit Da Nang to make medical declarations and practice self-quarantine at home.
A health worker guides travellers on completing mandatory health declarations when traveling through Quang Tri. (Photo: NDO/Lam Quang Huy)
Chairman of Quang Tri Provincial People's Committee Vo Van Hung has directed the local health sector to conduct rapid testing of all 14,000 local residents who returned from Da Nang to ensure the health and safety of the local community.
In the provinces of Tay Ninh and Lang Son, communication campaigns were launched on August 1 by the Border Guard force to encourage local residents in the border areas join in the COVID-19 prevention and control efforts amid the new developments of the pandemic.
On August 1, the People's Committee of Quang Ngai Province requested the halt of the handling of unnecessary administrative procedures amid the complicated situation of the epidemic, in order to restrict the number of people making direct transactions at the Quang Ngai Public Administration Service Centre and other local one-stop service centres.
On August 1, the Hanoi Centre for Disease Control (CDC) announced that the number of local citizens who have returned from Da Nang and the epidemic-hit areas in the central region from July 8 is nearly 72,300. Hanoi CDC and local authorities have provided rapid tests for nearly 50,000 people, recording 11 cases with positive results, but ten showed negative after being re-tested using the PCR technique, while the remaining single case is awaiting their test result.
The chairperson of Hanoi People's Committee has asked local hospitals to strictly implement the disease prevention measures, while localities in the capital city were asked not to organise crowded activities. Pedestrian streets around Hoan Kiem Lake are also required to not hold crowded activities on weekends.
