Da Nang has reported no new locally transmitted COVID-19 case for 8 straight days, official data showed on Wednesday afternoon, adding to signs that it has managed to stamp out the latest wave of the disease.

Secretary Nguyen Van Quang (left) delivers his address on next steps in the fight against COVID-19 at the Wednesday’s meeting

Between 1 and 2 cases have been registered in Da Nang during the 8-day period, all were already placed under quarantine in designated facilities.

Medical staff conducted COVID-19 mass testing for more than 25,000 people on on May 26 and no positive results were found. 

Da Nang Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Quang said Da Nang’s COVID-19 control measures has yielded positive results. 

" Yet it cannot be affirmed that there are no SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals or patients within our community. Therefore, we must remain vigilant against COVID-19.", Mr Quang said.

Secretary Quang remarked that risk of COVID19 resurgence is never far away. He urged district authorities and their local health facilities to step up the city’s COVID-19 mass testing, and complete testing programmes for people in local industrial parks and “one door – one test” campaign as soon as possible.

Mr Quang demanded the health sector and district authorities to continue developing plans to take random swab samples of local residents for COVID-19 testing in order assess the COVID-situation in the city. In addition, the health sector should roll out coronavirus tests for the second time in the Da Nang Industrial Park.

The city Party chief asked relevant agencies to tighten monitoring of preventive measures which are being put in place at businesses operating in local industrial parks where a large number of employees are working in. The Da Nang government will impose strict penalities for non-compliant businesses.

Mr Quang urged relevant agencies to use digital tools to monitor people entering and leaving the city. He also highlighted the significance of setting up checkpoints at major entry and exit points in Da Nang in managing returnees from COVID-19 hit localites.

Da Nang People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh ordered relevant agencies to take more proactive and drastic actions to prevent the spread of the virus.

Mr Chinh remarked that COVID-19 checkpoints will be set up in the city from May 28 in an effort to reduce the risk of bringing the deadly pathogen into Da Nang.

Chairman Chinh urged the public across Da Nang to comply with the city’s COVID-19 rules to protect themselves and others from the virus.

Reporting by LE HUNG – Translating by H.L