Deputy PM orders preparedness for new COVID-19 developments

Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam speaks at the meeting (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi – Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, on July 24 urged all competent forces to remain vigilant and stand ready to cope with new developments of the pandemic.

Speaking at a meeting of the committee, Dam lauded efforts made over the recent past in fighting the epidemic.

However, nothing is absolute safe, he said, warning of the risk of coronavirus transmission as Vietnam has land border routes running 4,000km and has implemented flights carrying foreign experts to the country and Vietnamese citizens, including COVID-19 cases, from pandemic-hit areas.

Given this, competent agencies need to tighten their management and make plans to bring home Vietnamese people in line with the domestic capacity for pandemic prevention and control, Dam requested.

Right after any risk is detected, prompt actions must be taken to prevent the spread of the virus in the community, he stressed.

Regarding the suspected case in the central city of Da Nang, the Deputy PM appreciated the locality’s quick response to the incident, including contact tracing and quarantine measures.

The final test result should be announced by the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, slated for July 25 morning, he said.

“However, whether the test result is negative or positive, we still need to continue implementing measures as we have done in response to positive cases,” he ordered.

Contact tracing, quarantine and testing are compulsory in response to suspected or confirmed cases within the community, he emphasised.

The case in Da Nang is a signal helping to raise the preparedness of localities, as well as the entire medical system, Dam said, expressing his belief that preparedness and observance of regulations on COVID-19 prevention and control would prevent the disease from spreading in the community.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Long, Acting Minister of Health, reported that the ministry has rolled out all necessary countermeasures, and sent a working group to Da Nang right on July 24 to assist the locality in dealing with the case.

On July 23 night, Da Nang conducted testing on people who had close contact with the man, and their test results turned out negative, he said, adding that all of them are still put under quarantine.

At the meeting, many experts urged people to continue wearing face masks in public places, and suggested tightening management at border gates and areas, and strictly handle people illegally entering Vietnam.