A 17-year-old boy, who resides in Quang Phu ward, Quang Ngai city, the central province of Quang Ngai (about 145km south of Da Nang), was confirmed as Patient 419.

He visited the Da Nang Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Hospital on July 14 and boarded a coach with some patients from Hospital C Da Nang three days later to return to his hometown.

He started to have fever, cough and shortness of breath on July 22 and tested positive for the novel coronavirus on July 26.

Patient 420 is a 71-year-old woman living in Hoa Cuong Nam ward, Hai Chau district, the central city of Da Nang.

She began to have fever and chest pain on July 12 and was admitted to Hospital C Da Nang ten days later.

They both are being quarantined and treated at public medical facilities.

Of the total cases in Vietnam, 276 cases are imported and quarantined upon their arrival.

As many as 365 patients or 87.3 percent have been given the all-clear of the COVID-19 which causes the pandemic, while the rest are being treated at medical establishments across the country, with eight tested negative for the virus once or twice. No deaths have been recorded so far.

There are currently 11,187 people who had close contact with COVID-19 patients or entering Vietnam from pandemic-hit regions being quarantined, including 220 at hospitals, 10,193 at other facilities, and 774 at home.

All students in Da Nang leave school to prevent Covid-19 outbreaks

All students in the Central city of Da Nang have been allowed to leave school since 1p.m. on July 26 to prevent Covid-19 outbreaks. 

All students in Da Nang City leave school to prevent Covid-19 outbreak from 1a.m. on July 26
In a document issued at noon on the same day by director of the city Department of Education and Training Le Thi Bich Thuan, the department required principals of educational institutions including nursery schools, foreign language and IT centers, tutoring institutions, gifted schools and overseas study consulting centers to halt all student gathering activities until there is new announcement.

Non-public universities base on their situation and instructions from their governing bodies to decide between gathering students or not.

The Department of Education and Training encouraged local authorities and residents to intensify supervision over the schools’ operation and inform the department of any violations to handle in a timely manner.

In preparation for the national high school exit examination 2020, heads of exam venues are responsible for implementing Document 1899 issued by the city Education and Training Department to prevent Covid-19. Specifically, each venue has been required to arrange at least two spare examination rooms, ensure safe distance for students in examination rooms, check material infrastructure to ensure safety for proctors, exam staff and students. Preparation and inspection works should be reported to the department before July 29.

Principals of high schools and directors of continuing education centers are responsible for guiding relevant sides to provide health check for 100 percent of students taking the exam. Any cases with fever, cough and shortness of breath must be reported to the Education and Training Department before 10 a.m. on August 4.

Non-public universities should keep a close eye on employees, lecturers and students from other provinces and cities and advise them to seriously implement regulations on Covid-19 prevention and fighting.

Da Nang takes measures to contain spread of COVID-19

The People’s Committee of Da Nang city on July 26 morning announced a number of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The city asked its residents to wear masks when going out, wash their hands with soaps, keep a safe distance when in contact with others, and not gather in a crowd of more than 30 people.
The local steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control has also proposed that all local residents inform the authorities if they are planning to leave the central city.

All ceremonies, including religious ceremonies and sporting events as well as events with many people in a public place will be suspended.

Non-essential business activities like entertainment centres, beauty salons and spas, karaoke, massage and discotheques will be temporarily closed.

For other service businesses, strict measures to prevent the virus must be implemented like taking temperatures of customers and providing sufficient hygiene materials.

Schools and education establishments in the city were requested to close as from 1pm on July 26 and online education can be put in place.

For social-economic or political events that need to be organised, local authorities have to ensure strict infection control measures.

Ministry of Health urges enhanced coordination for early detection of COVID-19 cases

The Ministry of Health (MOH) on July 25 sent a dispatch to directors of hospitals under the MOH and the medical and pharmaceutical universities, the Health Departments of provinces and centrally run cities, and medical units of ministries and sectors, asking for enhanced coordination for the early detection of COVID-19 cases.

The dispatch stated that in recent days, the COVID-19 pandemic has been evolving in a complicated manner with the emergence of a new infection case in the community.

In an effort to strengthen the early detection of cases to promptly localise, quarantine and treat them, the MOH requests the aforementioned units ask local drug retailers to write down patients’ full names, addresses and phone numbers when offering advice to sell drugs to those who show signs of flu, cough or fever.

Drug retailers should recommend the patients install the health declaration app and notify local preventive medical agencies to monitor and manage these cases.

The directors of the Health Departments of provinces and centrally run cities are told to direct the provincial-level centres for disease control (CDC) and preventive medical centres to inform drug retailers of round-the-clock hotlines receiving information regarding the above mentioned cases, as well as operating health declaration apps to receive information concerning suspect cases to take appropriate quarantine measures.

Hospitals from the district level upwards are requested to strengthen screening measures and appoint SARS-CoV-2 testing for patients with cold, flu, cough and fever symptoms in order to promptly detect COVID-19 cases and organise timely quarantine and localisation to minimise infection.

Private clinics must increase the screening of patients with signs of flu, cough and fever and arrange examinations for them in separate areas, while having notebooks to keep their names, addresses and phone numbers to monitor and manage these cases.

In order to implement urgent measures to minimise the spread of the disease to neighbouring provinces and nationwide, Acting Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long on July 25 decided to establish three special working teams to support COVID-19 prevention and control in Da Nang.

The teams consist of leading experts who are experienced in COVID-19 epidemiological investigation, quarantine, treatment, and testing. They are tasked with providing technical guidance and assistance in monitoring, treatment, testing and COVID-19 disease prevention and control activities in Da Nang, as well as reporting to MOH leaders and relevant departments on the situation of the pandemic and the activities implemented.

The National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control stated on July 26 morning that another case of COVID-19 has been recorded in the central city of Da Nang, raising the total of coronavirus infections in the country to 418.

The 61-year-old man, who resides in Thanh Binh ward of Hai Chau District, was confirmed positive for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 on the night July 25. He is now under intensive treatment at Da Nang Hospital, with the aid of a ventilator.