Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Chu Ngoc Anh has ordered drastically implementing COVID-19 prevention and control measures amid the complex and unexpected developments of the pandemic.

Since the new outbreak hit Vietnam on April 27, the capital city has detected 27 cases, including 22 in the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in the outskirts district of Dong Anh.

In a directive issued on May 5, Anh asked local administrations at all levels to consider the COVID-19 fight an important, urgent and top priority task in the time ahead, stressing vigilance must be maintained.

The official urged stepping the communication work and promoting the role of community-based anti-COVID-19 groups to encourage the public to join the pandemic combat.

Health declaration and mask wearing are mandatory, Anh said, adding that large gatherings at public places are banned and the physical distancing of at least 1m must be kept.

Anh urged localities to draw up plans in order to ensure safety at medical facilities and make greater efforts in contact tracing, testing and quarantine, and suggested conducting tests at high-risk areas like industrial parks and the areas where many foreign experts are living.

The official also ordered tightening the management at concentrated quarantine establishments, particularly hotels, to prevent cross-infections and pandemic spread among the community.

Eight more cases of COVID-19 recorded at Hanoi-based hospital

Vietnam reported eight new cases of COVID-19 over the past 12 hours to 6am on May 6, all being patients of the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi’s outskirts district of Dong Anh.

The National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi’s outskirts district of Dong Anh has been put under lockdown.

As of May 6 morning, the country’s caseload stood at 3,030, including 1,634 domestically-transmitted cases, according to the Ministry of Health.

Sixty-four cases have been recorded since the latest outbreak hit the country on April 27. The National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi’s Dong Anh district, the frontline facility in the COVID-19 fight, has recorded 22 cases in the new outbreak.

As many as 2,560 patients have been given the all-clear. Among the patients under treatment, 24 have tested negative for the coronavirus once, 12 twice and 38 thrice.

A total of 40,736 people are under medical monitoring nationwide, with 560 at hospitals, 21,733 at State-designed quarantine establishments, and 18,443 at home or residences.

The ministry said additional 90,417 people were given COVID-19 vaccine shots on May 5, raising the total number of vaccinated people to 675,956./. VNA

COVID-19: Hanoi closes cinemas, spas, massage parlours from May 5

Cinemas, gyms and stadiums as well as spas and massage parlours in Hanoi will have to close down as from 00:00 hours on May 5 due to complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic in the capital city.