More COVID-19 outbreaks likely to hit local communities

Minister Long reported that major outbreaks which have hit Hanoi, Da Nang, and other localities nationwide have mostly been brought under control due to swift contact tracing and extensive testing.

It is therefore likely that further community cases will be detected in the coming time, although it is highly possible that they are already in quarantine and lockdown facilities, he noted.

However, the Minister did not rule out the possibility that fresh outbreaks could occur in other localities, especially in provinces which attracted large numbers of travelers during the April 30 to May 3 break. 

The source of infection in these localities has yet to be detected, although it may come from imported cases, said Minister Long.

During the course of the working session, the Health Minister also reported on the nation’s COVID-19 testing capacity, noting that healthcare workers are now working through roughly 66,000 samples each day, with the capacity potentially doubling if necessary.

So far healthcare workers have tested approximately four million people, using the Realtime RT-PCR, and more than 3.700 virus carriers have been detected this way.

With regard to the country’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign, Minister Long said his ministry has made every effort to gain access to vaccine supplies through various channels. 

According to the Minister, Vietnam requires at least 170 million doses to vaccinate its population. To date it has received a commitment that 110 million doses will be delivered from AstraZeneca, the UN–administered COVAX Facility, and BioNtech.

It is also negotiating with other vaccine manufacturers, including Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, CureVac, and Sinopharm, with the aim of diversifying vaccine sources for domestic use.