Vietnam’s localities urged to be on full alert for Covid-19

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long has asked localities throughout the country to activate their Covid-19 prevention systems so that they are fully prepared as new infections emerge.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long speaking during a virtual conference with localities on measures to prevent the spead of Covid-19
Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long speaking during a virtual conference with localities on measures to prevent the spead of Covid-19

Long said on May 7 during a virtual conference that the latest outbreak is more complicated than previous ones with multiple clusters, sources of infection and variants, making the contagion rate speed up.

He asked localities to enhance their testing capacity, widen testing to people and places at high risk and to be prepared for more widespread infections in the community.

The health minister emphasised that hospitals need to expand testing for those at high risk and in critical departments such as emergency and dialysis following the lockdown of several hospitals in the wake of infections therein.

He stated that the risk of Covid-19 penetrating into central-level hospitals is very high, therefore the Ministry of Health has advised patients to avoid visiting central hospitals to prevent infection.

The ministry has implemented a system known as telehealth to help local healthcare facilities give treatment to those who usually have to seek medical care at central hospitals.

In another development, Hanoi Chairman Dinh Tien Dung has directed district and town authorities to step up their efforts to prevent the spread of Covid-19 following the detection of new infections at two major hospitals in the capital city.

In the meantime, the Ministry of Home Affairs has sent a dispatch to religious organisations in Vietnam to call for their continued cooperation in preventing the spread of Covid-19.

A number of important religious events such as the Vesak Day of Buddhism, the May Crowning of Catholicism and conventions of some Evangelical churches are expected to take place in the coming weeks, where mass gatherings will pose a major risk of Covid-19 spreading further into the community.

Therefore ,religious leaders are required to follow Covid-19 prevention guidelines and suspend all religious activities involving mass gatherings until further notice in areas where Covid-19 cases have been reported.