The Da Nang Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control is now racing against time to set up more isolation areas for close contacts of Covid-19 patients.  In parallel with this, the detection and treatment of Covid-19 patients has remained on right track, with timely and adequate supplies of medical equipment and human resources for the new Hoa Vang field hospital for Covid-19 patients.

Chairman Tho (left) inspecting the installation of the hemodialysis system in the Hoa Vang field hospital for Covid-19 patients.

Quarantine measures on track

The Da Nang Health officials have till date detected more than 7,700 F1 contacts, and more than 5,500 F2 contacts and all of them are now put into quarantine in designated facilities for 14 days.

As of Monday, a quarantine facility newly set up in the Hoa Vang District’s Hoa Nhon Primary School has received 149 close contacts of Da Nang's coronavirus carriers, and all of them tested negative for this deadly virus.

During their quarantine period, the quarantined people have their body temperature measured by medical workers twice or thrice a day. If anyone develops or starts to show symptoms of fever, they are immediately taken to designated hospitals for treatment.

The quarantined people are required to use face coverings, and refrain from talking during their quarantine period. Also, they are asked to gargle with salt water, along with keeping the hands, foot and face clean to prevent the spread of virus infections.

The quarantined people are served with 3 meals/ day. Meal menus are changed daily to ensure good nutrition in order to help the isolated increase resistance against infections.

During his inspection visits on Monday to quarantine areas citywide, Da Nang People's Committee Chairman Huynh Duc Tho encouraged the quarantined to strictly follow the city's quarantine rules to help their city to contain coronavirus pandemic soon.

Enhancing the effectiveness of Covid-19 treatment

Since its inception on 31 July, the Hoa Vang field hospital has provided treatment for many Covid-19 patients. This medical establishment has been equipped with 15 ventilators, including multi-functional and non-invasive ventilators, plus 10 hemodialysis machines to be used to treat Covid-19 patients with hemodialysis.

Covid-19 patients are being treated at the Hoa Vang field hospital

In a supportive move, more than 40 medical experts in the aspects of artificial kidneys, positive resuscitation, tropical medicine and infection control from the Ha Noi- based Bach Mai Hospital, one of the largest in Viet Nam, have directly assisted the Hoa Vang field hospital in fulfilling their professional tasks.

Meanwhile, doctor Le Duc Nhan, Director of the Da Nang General Hospital, said the setting up of a Covid-19 testing lab is now underway. Once fully operational, the lab will have a daily capacity of analysing about 600 samples.

Currently, Covid-19 patients are being treated in the Da Nang General Hospital with the support of Viet Nam’s leading experts from the Ministry of Health, and the nationally renowned hospitals of Bach Mai and Cho Ray.

To date, the Da Nang General Hospital has sent 4 task forces consisting of experienced doctors specialising in resuscitation, emergency, kidney disease and testing to support other local hospitals where Covid-19 patients are being treated.

Chairman Tho underlined a need to conduct the spraying of disinfectant at the Da Nang General Hospital as soon as possible so that this medical facility can come back on stream in admitting Covid-19-free patients suffering other serious diseases from the city and elsewhere in the country.

By PHAN CHUNG- Translated by A.T