The health agency in Da Nang has joined forces with relevant units to radically ramp up contact tracing, quarantine and testing efforts following a spike in COVID-19 cases in industrial parks (IPs).

The stay- at- work solution is very effective to businesses to keep their employees safe and ensure their stable production. Picture is taken at the Universal Alloy Corporation Viet Nam located in the Hi-Tech Park, Hoa Lien Commune, Hoa Vang District. Photo: M. QUE

Da Nang has raised COVID-19 alert to highest as an increasing number of contacts of active cases were detected in many companies operating in local IPs.

All necessary measures taken to ensure employee safety and continuity of industrial business

Mr. Tran Van Ty, Deputy Head of the Authority of the Da Nang Hi-Tech Park and Industrial Parks, said on Friday evening that more than 4,000 workers in the Viet Hoa Electronics Co., Ltd. got tested for the virus in the evening of July 14 and on July 15, of whom, 27 have till date found positive after a female worker had been identified in this company.

“Local tracers have already tracked down 311 primary close contacts and more than 1,300 secondary close contacts of this positive case, and all the close contacts are workers in the Viet Hoa Company. All primary close contacts have been sent to a managed isolation hotel while the secondary close contacts are self-isolating at home under close monitoring of healthcare workers”, Mr Ty said.   

The health agency said that the risk of cross-contamination in the Viet Hoa Company is very low because of separate manufacturing facilities with different cooling systems. In the photo: Workers in the Viet Hoa Electronics Co., Ltd are waiting their turn to get tested for COVID-19 on July 15. Photo: PHAN CHUNG

Currently, there are 15 packing line workers and 60 others who are working on the production line at the Viet Hoa Company to complete the remaining part of their jobs. All of them have tested negative for the virus.

The Viet Hoa Company will close for 14 days to undertake a deep clean and disinfection to prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.

The health agency said that the risk of cross-contamination in the Viet Hoa Company is very low because of separate manufacturing facilities with different cooling systems.

Amid the complex developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies operating in local IPs have taken proactive steps to prevent the possible spread of the novel coronavirus. The Keyhinge Toys Company helped its 2,956 employees to get tested for SARS-CoV-2 on July 15, and tests on all of them have come back negative.

Matrix Company today (July 17) plans to help its nearly 2,000 workers in its project 2 located in Hoa Cam IP to get tested for the virus..

As of July 16, the authorities in Lien Chieu District have imposed local lockdown order on 19 COVID-19 hotspots in their area after 22 community acquired cases were detected, of which, 9 in Hoa Khanh Bac Ward, 4 in Hoa Khanh Nam Ward, 4 in Hoa Hiep Bac Ward and 2 in Hoa Minh Ward.

All companies operating in IPs are asked by local authorities to put in place stringent measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

Hoa Cam IP in Cam Le District is now home to 66 businesses with about 10,000 employees in total. The Authority of Hoa Cam IP is taking drastic action to enforce COVID-19 rules to make sure that all companies are sticking to advice and guidance on infection prevention and control from municipal government and health bodies, especially the 5K recommendations of the Ministry of Health.

Inspectors from the Authority of Hoa Cam IP also conduct regular and surprise inspections on infection prevention and control measures at companies operating here.

Stay-at-work solution applied in businesses 

Sine late June, the US-based Universal Alloy Corporation Asia Pte. LTD-UAC -developed Sunshine Aerospace Components Factory in the Hi-Tech Park, Hoa Lien Commune, Hoa Vang District has applied the stay-at-work solution on providing accommodation for nearly 60 secondary close contacts after a worker with confirmed COVID-19 was identified. Currently, there are 31 people who are being isolated in this company due to COVID-19. 

The Stay-at-work mode is applied to the Universal Alloy Corporation Viet Nam in the Hi-Tech Park, Hoa Lien commune, Hoa Vang District. Photo: M. QUE

It is known that Sunshine Aerospace Components Factory has become the first business in Da Nang to apply the stay-at-work solution. It was activated by the factory only for a couple of hours after the positive case was detected. In addition, the factory has developed an action plan to prepare for a further spike in coronavirus cases to enable its nearly 700 employees to stay at the workplace.

A representative of Sunshine Aerospace Components Factory said that the most favourable conditions will be created for the factory's employees to feel comfortable during their stay at the workplace. Every day, employees have their body temperature checked before the start of the shift and get tested for the virus once a week.

Director of Daiwa Vietnam Co., Ltd. Nguyen Van Phu in Hoa Khanh Industrial Park said that the company is ready for applying the stay-at-work solution in light of the unprecedented situation we face as a community, and a city, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The company has made a plan to accommodate its 3,700 employees and ensure a secure supply of food and essentials for them. 

Da Nang now houses 6 IPs where 490 companies with more than 77,000 employees are operating. The Head of the Authority of the Da Nang High-Tech Park and Industrial Parks, Pham Truong Son said that strictest health measures are being put in place in all IPs across the city to tackle rising COVID-19 cases, and all companies get ready to apply the the stay-at-work solution. 

Reporting by MAI QUE – THU HA – PHAN CHUNG- Translating by H.L