Deputy PM affirms all-people strength against COVID-19

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam at the meeting (Photo: VNA)

Dam said the prevention and control of the disease over the recent past reflects the sound leadership of the Politburo, the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat, the Government, the PM and the steering committee.

He asked ministries, agencies and localities to continue fulfilling assigned tasks to minimise fatalities, including promptly discovering the sources of infection, especially from those entering Vietnam in the past 14 days, thus preventing the further spread in the community.

Due to the complicated developments of the pandemic, he requested classifying high-risk and vulnerable groups such as the elderly, the disabled and those with existing diseases.

The health sector was urged to enhance personnel training and improve the capacity of testing and treatment to meet current demand.

About citizen protection, the Deputy PM noted that the Vietnamese living and working abroad need to closely follow instructions in the host countries.

In case they want to return home, the Party, State and people will take necessary measures to ensure their safety, he said, adding that every citizen needs to follow quarantine and immigration regulations upon returning to Vietnam.

Speaking at the event, Director of the Defence Ministry’s Department of Military Medicine Maj. Gen. Nguyen Xuan Kien said the army has set up 140 quarantine areas nationwide, capable of receiving 44,718 cases.

Since the onset of the outbreak, over 14,000 out of the more than 21,300 have completed quarantine, he said, adding that the army is ready to receive nearly 40,000 others if necessary.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Trinh Thi Thuy said 104 hospitality providers have registered for paid quarantine services.

According to the Health Ministry, Vietnam recorded had 68 COVID-19 infection cases as of 12:30pm on March 18, 16 of them had fully recovered and been discharged from hospitals.

Over 31,600 who had close contacts with patients or travelled through affected areas are being quarantined. Fifty-two patients, including 33 Vietnamese and 19 foreigners, are being treated at 10 hospitals nationwide.