After 55 days without any new community infections, COVID-19 cases were detected in Chi Linh district, Hai Duong province, and Van Don district, Quang Ninh province. On January 27, authorities quickly responded and found 82 new positive cases.
So far, officials have basically contained the outbreak, identified people who need testing, and activated local disease prevention systems.
Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, shared this during an urgent meeting with the committee and the government leadership on the sidelines of the 13th Party Congress.
At the meeting, Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam urged leaders of Hai Duong and Quang Ninh provinces, the Ministry of Health, and related agencies to implement stronger measures to fight the outbreak.
He emphasized extra caution is needed because the Hai Duong case is linked to a new SARS-CoV-2 variant reported by Japan, ensuring maximum safety for frontline workers.
In Hai Duong, the provincial Center for Disease Control collected 190 samples, with 72 testing positive for SARS-CoV-2.
In Quang Ninh, authorities locked down Van Don Airport area, identifying 355 close contacts (F1), 124 secondary contacts (F2), and 2 tertiary contacts (F3) linked to patient number 1553, announced on the morning of January 28. Testing revealed 10 additional positive cases.
At the meeting, Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long said medical teams quickly deployed to Chi Linh district, Hai Duong, similar to previous support sent to Da Nang. They rapidly tested F1 and F2 contacts and traced close contacts of patient 1552, announced on January 28.
Patient 1552 is a 34-year-old Vietnamese female worker at POYUN Limited Liability Company, residing in Kim Dien, Hung Dao commune, Chi Linh city, Hai Duong province.
She had close contact with a female patient who tested positive after arriving in Osaka, Japan.
The patient was quarantined and tested. The confirmed positive result came late on January 27. She is currently isolated and treated at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Facility 2.
Patient 1553 is a 31-year-old Vietnamese male employee at Van Don Airport, living in Hong Ha ward, Ha Long city, Quang Ninh province. Experiencing fever, dry cough, and sore throat, he went to the hospital for examination.
The hospital collected samples, and the Quang Ninh Center for Disease Control confirmed a positive SARS-CoV-2 test on the evening of January 27.
He is currently isolated and treated at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Dong Anh facility.
Diep Truong (TTXVN/Vietnam+)
