HN enters decisive period of COVID-19 fight

Chairman of the Ha Noi municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung

Chairman of the Ha Noi municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung made the remarks on March 23 in Ha Noi at a meeting of the Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

The city has coped with the second phase against COVID-19 outbreaks since March 6. So far, in Ha Noi, 39 positive cases have been confirmed including 30 coming from infected regions and nine families with infection cases. 

The disease infection has developed complicatedly with four major infectious sources including (1) contacts with patients who showed no signs of infection during local movement; (2) foreign infection as foreigners and Vietnamese expats came to Viet Nam from infected regions before March 14 for those from the EU, March 18 from Asia; and March 21 from other countries; (3) cross infection cases at quarantine camps and hospitals; (4) infection from the Southeast Asian region including Cambodia. 

Hence, the mayor tasked grass-roots levels to clarify sources of infection in order to boost preventive measures. 

Chairman Chung assessed that the next two weeks would be the peak period of disease infection. He underlined the necessity to early detect positive cases; promptly conduct tests; properly manage quarantine camps; prevent cross infection even at hospitals. 

Under the PM-initiated spirit “Fighting the nCoV-cased disease is like fighting enemies,” Chairman Chung tasked districts and communes to rashly trace suspected cases; conduct tests; identify infected patients (called F0); exposed to F0 (called F1); or persons exposed to F1 (called F2) or contact with F2 (F3); and implement isolation measures. 

The Chairman stressed that the local authorities encouraged firms to promote online working, online sales; and public services in order to minimize nonessential meetings. 

The mayor recommended local residents stay at home until April 5; seriously wear face masks; and follow social distancing./.

By Kim Anh