In response to a new wave of Covid-19 infections, the Da Nang Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control is urging all local authoritities and residents to strictly follow the Prime Minister-mandated proactive measures. Da Nang is on the right track in dealing with the pandemic with a focus on improving prevention, testing, and treatment of Covid-19 patients in a bid to put the coronavirus crisis under control as soon as possible.

Medical workers taking swab samples for Covid-19 testing in An Hai Dong Ward, Son Tra District

Patients with severe Covid-19 have been transferred from the Da Nang General Hospital to the Da Nang Lung Hospital and Hoa Vang field hospital for intensive medical care. 

According to Director of the municipal Department of Health Ngo Thi Kim Yen, the setting up of intensive care units (ICUs), also known as intensive therapy units, at the Da Nang Lung Hospital and the Hoa Vang field hospital has till date been completed on schedule. 

In the time ahead, heed will be paid to raising the quality of the equipment and workforce to ensure the enhancement of the ICUs’ capacity.

The ICUs are in charge of catering to Covid-19 patients who suffer from such other severe or life-threatening illnesses as serious respiratory, diabetes and kidney failure.  Constant care, close supervision from life support equipment and medication are provided in an effort to ensure their normal bodily functions.

The Da Nang People's Committee Chairman cum Head of the Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, Mr Huynh Duc Tho City has asked functional local forces to detect and strictly handle any violations of Da Nang government-imposed social distancing rules. 

He also warned that, in case of these violations still occurring in the city, even more stringent control measures will put in place citywide in the time ahead.

The city government chief also asked the Da Nang Centre for Disease Control (CDC) to focus on researching and analysing new laboratory-confimred Covid-19 cases to make assessments on the current infectious trend, thereby putting forwards more effective ways to contain this deadly virus spread. 

With regard to testing, the CDC is permitted to invite other domestic testing facilities to conduct sampling and testing in low-risk areas in a more prompt fashion.

Apart from vulnerable and high risk residential areas, swab samples should be taken from those working in medical centres, traditional markets and armed forces across the city in the coming time.

The city-based C Hospital that linked to the latest Covid-19 outbreak has reopened to the public, two weeks after it was blockaded.

According to doctor Ton That Thanh, the CDC Director, testing for the novel coronavirus is being accelerated on course.  The CDC’s testing capacity is 10 times higher than what was reported previously. 

As of 9 August, more than 43,500 swap samples have been taken across the city for testing Covid-19, many of which were taken from those living in high-risk places where laboratory- confirmed cases surfaced over recent days.

Till date, the C Hospital that linked to the latest Covid-19 outbreak has reopened to the public, two weeks after it was blockaded.  The lockdown was lifted after all patients, their caretakers and medical staff here had been tested negative for many times in line with the country’s regulations.

Meanwhile, two other medical facilities in the city – the Da Nang General Hospital and the Rehabilitations and Orthopedics Hospital – have still been put under lockdown.

The spraying of disinfectant at the Da Nang General Hospital is conducting in hasty 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