In his remarks at the second session of the Da Nang People's Council in its 10^th tenure for the 2021 - 2026 term on Thursday morning, municipal Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Quang said that stricter travel restrictions will be introduced in the city if there is no decrease in COVID-19 cases in the next 4 days amid concerns that the current restrictions may not be enough to tackle rising cases.

The outbreak is growing rapidly in Da Nang with the rapid rise in COVID-19 infections fueled by the highly contagious delta variant although the city is under strict stay-at-home orders. This has triggered the municipal Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control to develop an action plan to prepare for further restrictions, banning people from leaving their homes for all for 7 days.

Secretary Quang addressing the meeting. Photo: N.P

“All departments and agencies, construction sites, and businesses across Da Nang will be required to adopt stay-at-work solution during a 7-day period if they remain open. The implementation of tougher measures will allow the city to conduct citywide COVID-19 testing in efforts to quickly detect and isolate cases, trace and quarantine their contacts”, Mr Quang emphasized.

The city Party Chief remarked that the Da Nang government is ready to sacrifice the economic benefits of spending a large amount to protect the safety of local residents, bring the outbreak under control, and help the life in the city return to normal.

Secretary Quang affirmed that the safety and health of Da Nang people are key priorities for the city authorities with a focus on taking the most effective measures to control COVID-19 in an attempt to successfully fight and contain the deadly disease while ensuring adequate supply of food and other essential items for all people, especially those in designated quarantine facilities and local lockdown areas, along with struggling families. The heed must be paid on providing timely support for businesses in Da Nang to help them get through and overcome hardship amid COVID-19 crisis, he directed.

Mr Quang called on officials to take action to ensure “no one will be left behind” during the pandemic.

He advised local residents to stop panic shopping and hoarding as the government has assured regular and enough supply of food and other essential items if they face new restrictions in response to COVID-19.

Mrs Ngo Thi Kim Yen, the Director of the municipal Department of Health, presents a report on the city’s pandemic prevention and control work. Photo: N.P

Addressing the meeting, Mrs Ngo Thi Kim Yen, the Director of the municipal Department of Health said that Da Nang experienced three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021: the first one from May 3 to June 2 with 158 confirmed cases, the next one from June 18 to July 9 with 92 cases, and the latest one from July 10 up to now with more than 1,400 cases fueled by the Delta variant. “The highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus is spreading across Da Nang, and we’re seeing some severe COVID-19 cases among younger people. They get sick and it quickly turns serious. They can develop severe COVID or even dying from it’, Mrs Yen remarked.

Da Nang has taken swift and decisive COVID-19 responses, including social distancing measures, the rapid rollout of mass testing to break the chains of the transmission in such COVID-19 hotspots as Viet Hoa Electronics Company, the triangle-shaped area of Le Duan - Ly Thai To - Hoang Hoa Tham streets, the Duy Tan Plastic Company, and Nguyen Phuoc Nguyen area.

However, Tho Quang Fishing Wharf is a location in Da Nang where risk of transmission of COVID-19 remains very high. In addition, the Hoa Cuong Wholesale Market was identified today, August 12, as a new COVID-19 hotspot after 6 positive cases were detected.

“It is necessary for Da Nang to introduce tougher measures to curb the spread of the virus. The health agency now makes about 2,500 hospital beds available for COVID-19 patients in addition to 300 resuscitation beds. However, the city's hospitals will become overwhelmed if the number of COVID-19 patients surpasses 6,000. Currently, the health sector is maximizing the use of resources to tackle COVID-19 with a focus on using private hospitals for treating COVID-19 patients, and calling for the involvement of medical students and retired healthcare workers in the fight against the deadly disease”, Mrs Yen emphasized.

The health agency is determined to implement the rollout of vaccinations for COVID-19 in the city in the fastest and safest manner in an attempt to protect all people.

Reporting by LAM PHUONG –NGOC PHU