Southern border on full alert amid threat of new COVID-19 outbreaks
VOV.VN - Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long has warned the south-western border area remains at a high risk of a fresh novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak as an increasing number of Vietnamese nationals is seeking to return to the homeland from COVID-19-ravaged Cambodia and Thailand.
“The infection risk is extremely high, especially in Tay Ninh, Kien Giang, and An Giang provinces,” Minister Long told VOV.VN in an interview following a fact-finding tour of numerous southern provinces that share long land and coastal borders with both Cambodia and Thailand.
The Health Minister pointed out that many COVID-19 infections have been detected from returnees who crossed the border into the country in both legal and illegal manners.
“In some cases 10 out of 11 entrants have been diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 virus,” said Minister Long, adding that the Ministry of Health and the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control have placed localities around the southern border at the highest possible alert level.
According to the Minister, the Government has closely monitored and introduced various measures aimed at controlling the situation. Relevant agencies, including border guards, policemen, and militiamen, have been deployed to tighten control of the border and prevent acts of illegal entry.
“We have also requested southern localities to enhance the testing capacity of local healthcare agencies to early quickly detect and quarantine suspected cases,” said Minister Long.
The Health Minister also recommended that localities develop worst-case scenarios, with a primary focus on extending quarantine facilities and establishing field hospitals in order to treat patients in the event that a fresh outbreak occurs.
Vietnam has brought under control the recent coronavirus outbreak in the community after the virus recurred in Hai Duong province three months ago. No new locally transmitted cases have been detected during the past few weeks.
