HCM City Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Thien Nhan

Speaking at a meeting held on February 3 with representatives from 24 districts and departments about measures to prevent the spreading of the Coronavirus, director of the Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Le Minh Tan, said that they had asked local firms to let Chinese people who returned after having Tet holiday in China to work from home.

"1,069 Chinese people including 750 specialists, 80 managers, 70 engineers, and 30 CEOs, have returned to work at 187 enterprises in the city," Tan said. "We have asked the companies to let them work from the hotels or guesthouses where they are staying."

The official also said that they have temporarily stopped extending work permits for nine Chinese people who returned from the virus area. 86 labour exporting companies have been asked to postpone sending workers to China and some other countries which are reporting the diseases.

Addressing the meeting, HCM City Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Thien Nhan stressed the need to isolate people who return from the Coronavirus-infected areas for 14 days.

The party leader also asked for measures to prevent the spreading of the virus at local firms, factories and apartment buildings and ensure enough face mask supply for people.

Director of the municipal Department of Health, Nguyen Tan Binh said that they are planning to build two field hospitals in response to the acute respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

"The hospitals with a total of 500 beds are expected to be completed by February 15 in Cu Chi and Nha Be districts," he said. Dtinews

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