Government chief allows enforcement of social distance in major pandemic-hit localities
VOV.VN - Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has allowed pandemic-hit localities, such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Hai Phong to deploy drastic COVID-19 prevention and control measures, including social distancing in an effort to effectively slow the spread of COVID-19.
In his address at a government meeting on February 8 discussing how effective to cope with the swiftly spreading virus, the Government leader asked HCM City authorities to stay calm and spare no efforts in containing the outbreak while encouraging residents to strictly follow the Ministry of Health’s 5K (in Vietnamese) message: Khau trang (facemask) – Khu khuan (disinfection) – Khoang cach (distance) – Khong tu tap (no gathering) – Khai bao y te (health declaration).
He also welcomed the decision made by HCM City and Ha Noi administrations to cancel fireworks shows on the forthcoming Lunar New Year’s Eve to limit crowds as a way of preventing the virus transmission to the wider community.
PM Phuc consented to the Ministry of Health’s proposal to intensify COVID-19 testing in high-risk areas, while calling on local residents to refrain from travelling during the Lunar New Year holiday in a bid to help prevent spread of the disease.
He also agreed with the ministry’s proposal to purchase COVID-19 vaccine produced by the AstraZeneca Group and begin injections in the first quarter of the year.
The Ministry of Health and its minister are responsible for selecting partners, vaccines, and those to be vaccinated, with funding coming from the State, Phuc stated.
With regard to COVID-19 update, the Ministry of Health confirmed a further 45 new community cases on February 8 afternoon, including Quang Ninh (3), Hanoi (3), Gia Lai (2), Ho Chi Minh (25 ), and Hai Duong (12).
The majority of fresh cases came into close contact with coronavirus patients from the nation’s COVID-19 hotspots.
Vietnam has documented 2,050 SARS-CoV-2 infections so far. Of the total, 1,160 are locally-transmitted cases, with 467 detected since the latest coronavirus outbreak hit the country on January 27.
Amid complicated developments relating to COVID-19, Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long has requested that Ho Chi Minh City apply fresh social distancing measures in some areas following the latest detection of new cases linked to the outbreak at Tan Son Nhat International Airport.
The proposal has come following the southern city recently detecting 25 new cases in the community.
Minister Long said the latest outbreak in the baggage handling area at Tan Son Nhat Airport could have initially occurred a while ago and some people involved may have already been infected and then gone on to recover.
"The outbreak in HCMC was quite complicated and has gone through many cycles of infection; therefore, the source of this outbreak has not yet been determined. This is what makes us very worried," he said.
The Heath Minister added that even though they did not come into contact with air passengers, the infected airport staff could still have interacted other people in the community. He has therefore asked the municipal administration to take urgent steps aimed at preventing the outbreak from spreading further among the wider community.
Over the past 11 days, the nation has registered 467 domestic cases throughout 12 cities and provinces. Indeed, Hai Duong, and Quang Ninh, top the list of hotspots with 321 and 50 cases, each.
