COVID-19: Khanh Hoa province told to stay alert as Tet approaches

Officials from the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control examine anti-pandemic efforts at Cam Ranh International Airport in province on January 13 (Photo: VNA)

Khanh
Hoa (VNA) – The central province of Khanh Hoa has been asked to
stay vigilant in COVID-19 prevention and control, especially when the Lunar New
Year () holiday is just around the corner.

There
are currently eight concentrated quarantine sites in Khanh Hoa, able to
accommodate 1,250 people. Twenty-eight hotels with more than 5,200 rooms have
also been designated as quarantine facilities, Director of the provincial
Health Department Bui Xuan Minh told a delegation from the National Steering
Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on January 13.

So
far, the province has provided quarantine for over 11,200 Vietnamese returning
from abroad and 576 foreigners coming to work in the country. It has recorded
76 cases of COVID-19, 63 of whom have recovered.

Minh
said Khanh Hoa has carried out all solutions and seriously complied with
regulations on entry management, quarantine, and health monitoring to prevent
coronavirus transmission.

Vice
Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Dinh Van Thieu said travel demand
is predicted to surge in the run up to Tet, but the Khanh Hoa steering board
for prevention and control has called on local families recommend
their overseas relatives against returning to Vietnam amid complex developments
of the pandemic at present.

He
noted that local medical supplies now basically meet COVID-19 testing and
treatment requirements.

However,
as the province houses seaports and an international airport, it still faces a high
risk of a new virus outbreak, Thieu admitted, proposing more medical supplies
be given to Khanh Hoa to improve its responsiveness.

Speaking
highly of the province’s readiness for the COVID-19 combat, Deputy Minister of
Health Truong Quoc Cuong requested vigilance be sustained as Tet is
approaching.

He
also asked the province to promote quarantine capacity, the monitoring of
quarantine establishments, testing, communications to raise public awareness,
and training for frontline forces.

As
of late January 13, the COVID-19 tally in Vietnam stood at 1,521, including 693
domestic infections. Total recoveries reached
1,369 while the number of fatalities is still kept at 35./.