Acting Health Minister suggests greater concern needed in community about COVID-19

(Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Acting Health Minister Nguyen
Thanh Long suggested increasing community concern about at a meeting
of the in Hanoi on
August 14.

of COVID-19 prevention and control measures
must be strictly punished, he added.

Regarding the situation in northern Hai Duong province,
Long said Patient 867 was infected before July 30 and has had contact with many
people.

He lauded Hai Duong city’s timely imposition of social
distancing measures, saying the ministry will help it with contact tracing,
quarantining, and testing.

Some 1,500 samples are expected to be taken each day in
Hai Duong for testing, he added.

Meanwhile, the situation in the central province of
Quang Nam continues to be problematic, as only nine of its 16 towns and districts
have imposed social distancing measures.

The disease is expected to be brought under control in
the locality at the end of this month, according to Long.

At the meeting, committee members agreed on the need
to step up treatment in central Da Nang city and Quang Nam province, and
suggested the Prime Minister issue a new directive given the risk of
transmission in all localities, especially major urban areas.

Regarding the second phase of the high school
graduation exams, a representative from the Ministry of Education and Training
said they will be held at the earliest possible date in line with the
developments of the disease.

As of 6am on August 14, Vietnam had reported 911
COVID-19 cases, including 361 overseas cases quarantined upon arrival. The
death toll now stands at 21.

Some 172,080 people are under quarantine nationwide./.