Ho Chi Minh City locks down Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone

July 13, 2021 | 10:46

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Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in District 7 has been locked down after the diagnosis of 275 cases of COVID-19 infection through rapid testing. 29 enterprises in the zone have been directed to halt operations.

Ho Chi Minh City locks down Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone

The blockade at Bui Van Ba alley

At the evening meeting on July 12, Nguyen Hoai Nam, deputy director of Ho Chi Minh City's Department of Health said that 275 of the 40,000 workers of 250 enterprises were discovered positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone, District 7 through a rapid screening test.

“The rapid test is sufficiently accurate to treat these 275 cases as F0. The people in question have been isolated and are receiving treatment,” said Nam.

Tan Thuan EPZ has been locked down and potential infections are being traced. Also, in order to promptly limit the risk of infection in the zone, 29 businesses in the EPZ where workers were infected or are suspected of having SARS-CoV-2 were directed to temporarily lock down, go into medical isolation, to control the pandemic.

In addition, the city has established a testing coordination center to effectively shorten testing time of SARS-CoV-2.

"Testing and screening for safety is a top priority. The results for a single test sample can be returned within 10-12 hours, while it is 24 hours for aggregate testing samples. Thereby, localities can trace and detect F0 quickly in the community," said Nam.

The People's Committee of District 7 has sent an official dispatch to the Ho Chi Minh City Export Processing and Industrial Zones Authority (Hepza), and Tan Thuan Corporation on strengthening the implementation of measures to prevent and control the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, a blockade of Tan Thuan EPZ is established from July 13.