Illustrative image. (Source: VNA)Phu Tho (VNA) – The Ministry of Health on March 17 authorised the laboratory of the General Hospital of
the northern province of Phu Tho to
perform tests for the novel () that has caused respiratory
illness in 68 people in Vietnam so far.
As the virus
continues spreading in the country, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee
Bui Minh Chau has requested all local departments and agencies as well as
districts to intensify preventive measures against the epidemic.
Local authorities must strengthen checks and management of people returning from abroad and tourists in the province and actively
identify those who are suspected
of carrying the virus or in close contact with infected cases, so as to
timely place them under quarantine
or medical surveillance.
All overseas
returnees and visitors must be required to fill out health declaration forms and
have their health examined while those who fail to comply with this order must
be given strict penalties.
Phu Tho has
reported no case to
date. Seven suspected cases have
been put into quarantine at the provincial general hospital, six of whom
already testing negative for SARS-CoV-2 in
their first test.
Meanwhile,
three other people, two
returning from China and one from the Republic of Korea, are being quarantined at the provincial military
school. About 450 people travelling from the virus-hit areas or in close contact
with infected patients are under self-quarantine.
Vietnam has
reported 68 confirmed cases so far as of March 18 noon, with the latest patient
being a 41-year-old US citizen living in the central city of Da Nang.
The man, whose
wife is a Vietnamese, went abroad last month and travelled through many
countries like India, Spain, Morocco, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary and the
Netherlands.
He has been
kept in quarantine at arrival at the Da Nang International Airport./.
Source: VietnamPlus
