Hai Duong asked to speed up COVID-19 testing, trace for possible contacts

chairs a virtual meeting with the People’s Committee on February 23(Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The northern province of Hai Duong – Vietnam’s biggest
COVID-19 epicentre at present – should continue speeding up testing and tracing all possible contacts with confirmed cases, while carrying out flexible screening
tests at high-risk areas.

The
recommendation was made by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, head of the
National Steering Committee for Prevention and Control, during a
virtual meeting with the provincial People’s Committee on February 23.

Dam
lauded efforts exerted by the locality and the Health Ministry’s support forces
in pandemic prevention and control.

Experience learned from the fight in Hai Duong can be valuable lessons for other
localities nationwide, he stressed, adding that even when the pandemic is over,
Hai Duong needs to stay alert like other localities.

The
Deputy PM also asked Hai Duong to encourage its people who do not live in disease-hit
areas to wear cloth masks, and strictly punish those making false health
declarations.

Deputy Health Minister Do Xuan Tuyen addresses the meeting (Photo: VNA)

Vice
Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Luong Van Cau affirmed that Hai
Duong is capable of conducting COVID-19 testing. He added the province will
conduct extensive testing in the next six days.

Regarding
the testing, Deputy Health Minister Do Xuan Tuyen emphasized that extensive testing need to follow health authorities’ directions, and asked the
province to strengthen prevention and control measures at concentrated
quarantine areas./.