Health declaration required on travellers coming to Da Nang from July 1

The Ministry of Health is requiring all citizens who have been in Da Nang between July 1 and 29 to urgently make medical declarations.

A health worker instructs a citizen in Gia Lai Province on how to make health declaration after travelling from a COVID-19-hit area. (Photo: NDO/Phan Hoa)
A health worker instructs a citizen in Gia Lai Province on how to make health declaration after travelling from a COVID-19-hit area. (Photo: NDO/Phan Hoa)

>>> Hoi An to re-impose social distancing measures

>>> Vietnam records nine new COVID-19 community cases

>>> Localities step up measures against new COVID-19 outbreaks

The central costal city has emerged as the latest COVID-19 hotspot in Vietnam after over three months without any infections in the community, as dozens of local transmissions were detected in Da Nang before spreading to several other localities in recent days.

The health ministry suggests such travellers send a text message with their full name and address, as well as the phone numbers of their close contacts to the hotline 8889.

They are also advised to contact their local Disease Control Centres for advice, while making an online health declaration at https://tokhaiyte.vn and regularly updating their health status.

In addition, they are also recommended to install the Bluezone app on their mobile devices to warn of COVID-19 and help protect themselves and their families. The mobile app can be found at https://www.bluezone.gov.vn/ or on the IOS and Android app stores.

* In the past three days, a number of necessities, water, rice and medical supplies have been brought by local residents to support the front-line doctors in three isolated and blockaded hospitals in Da Nang, after the local authorities imposed strict social distancing measures across the city from July 27, following the detection of infection cases connected to the three hospitals.

Da Nang residents, as well as those from other localities, have donated goods to support doctors at the Da Nang C Hospital, the Da Nang Hospital and the Da Nang Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation Hospital.

Da Nang residents donate necessities to support the local COVID-19 fight. (Photo: NDO/Anh Dao)

In addition, thousands of local youngsters have signed up to participate in specific voluntary tasks, in response to a call from the Da Nang Youth Union to mobilise support to brace for new outbreaks in the city. After only 24 hours since July 28, more than 5,000 youth union members have registered, including over 2,800 volunteers for disease response activities while around 2,700 others are ready to donate blood. Depending on the specific situation, the city’s Youth Union will assign forces and run specific programmes so that the youth volunteers are able to participate with local units to fight COVID-19.

* Regarding a 21-year-old COVID-19 patient residing in Cu Kuin District, Dak Lak Province, a student at a university in Da Nang, the neighbouring province of Gia Lai on July 30 said that local authorities has isolated 25 people having had close contact with the patient. As of July 28, the Gia Lai health sector has identified 453 local citizens who have returned from Quang Nam, Quang Ngai and Da Nang – the three localities that have recorded new infections during this new wave. Currently, Gia Lai has not detected any new cases testing positive for SARS-CoV-2.

* Bac Kan Province has screened 534 local people returning from Da Nang and put them in self-quarantine at home as prescribed. Meanwhile, the Bac Kan Centre for Disease Control has collected samples from 25 among them who showed signs of coughing and shortness of breath, as well as some random samples. All 25 samples tested negative for SARS-Cov-2.

* On July 30, the Hanoi Department of Education and Training required its affiliated units and educational institutions in the capital city to immediately make a review of officials, teachers and students who returned from Da Nang from July 1. The department asked all local schools to maintain adequate disinfectant, soap and clean water for hand washing, while strictly observing body temperature measurements and face mask wearing as prescribed, as well as developing plans to disinfect their facilities and implement measures regarding the prevention and control of COVID-19 in the new situation.

On the same day, the Hanoi Capital High Command hosted a teleconference to discuss urgent tasks and solutions to COVID-19 prevention and control in the capital city.

* According to Ho Chi Minh City’s COVID-19 surveillance system, by 7 am on July 30, the total number of suspected cases in the city stood at 451. Among them, 434 showed negative test results, two were positive as in the case of Patients 449 and 450, while 15 other cases are awaiting their test results. The city has had about 5,900 people who have returned from Da Nang since July 1.