Deputy PM orders maintaining readiness in pandemic fight

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam on May 14 emphasised the spirit of readiness as COVID-19 would break out in the community anytime.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam speaks at the meeting. (Photo: VGP)
Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam speaks at the meeting. (Photo: VGP)

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Speaking at a meeting of permanent members of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, Dam, who is also head of the committee, said pandemic hotbeds in such localities as Ha Nam, Da Nang, Vinh Phuc and Yen Bai have basically put under control.

The situation would be seen in Bac Giang and Bac Ninh provinces in the next three to five days, he added, asking the Ministry of Health to provide more support for the two localities in the combat, particularly in testing.

He pointed out limitations in tracing and managing F2 and F3 cases, and urged localities to seriously observe regulations in this regard.

Dam reiterated the need to follow the health ministry’s 5K message of khau trang (face masks), khu khuan (disinfection), khoang cach (distancing), khong tu tap (no gatherings), and khai bao y te (health declaration).

Dang Quang Tan, head of the ministry’s Department of Preventive Medicine, reported that since the fourth wave of the pandemic hit the country on April 27, more pandemic clusters would be found in other localities, especially those with large gatherings during the National Reunification Day (April 30) and Labour Day holidays.

He, therefore, suggested mass screening and testing, focusing on high-risk places such as entertainment areas, industrial parks, supermarkets and schools.

60 new COVID-19 cases on May 14 afternoon

As of 6 pm today, Vietnam recorded 60 new COVID-19 cases, including 59 domestic infections, according to the Ministry of Health.

Of the new cases, two were detected in the Vietnam's National Cancer Hospital’s Tan Trieu facility and one in the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases’ Dong Anh facility, 33 in Bac Ninh, 12 in Hanoi, six in Bac Giang, three in Da Nang, and one each in Thai Binh and Dien Bien. All the patients were recorded in quarantine facilities or in sealed off areas.

One imported case was quarantined upon arrival in south-central Khanh Hoa province.

Vietnam has documented 2,357 domestically-transmitted infections, and 1,459 imported cases so far. As many as 787 new cases were recorded since the latest outbreak hit the nation on April 27.

There are currently 83,415 people under quarantine nationwide.

According to the Ministry of Health’s Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Department, the country has seen 2,657 recoveries.

Among the COVID-19 patients, 49 have tested negative for the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 once, 25 twice, and 18 thrice.