It is high time for Da Nang to take more proactive steps to promote the advanced information technology applications in contact tracing, increase group sampling and testing capacity in a scientific manner.  In parallel with these tasks, more drastic measures on how to promote the important role of the all-level Covid-19 task forces and widely publicity of infection prevention and control measures should be taken into account.

Da Nang Party Committee Deputy Secretary Nguyen Van Quang during his Tuesday inspection visit to the under-establishment Tien Son field hospital for Covid-19 patients

The statements were released by Da Nang Party Committee Deputy Secretary Nguyen Van Quang during the Tuesday meeting on Covid-19 solutions with representatives from relevant local agencies.

Deputy Secretary Quang urged the under-establishment Tien Son field hospital which is being upgraded from the namesake sports arena in Hai Chau District to be put into operation on schedule.

Under the local health sector’s current treatment strategies, severe cases are being  transferred to the Da Nang Lung Hospital and already-operated Hoa Vang field hospital for intensive medical care, whilst those  with mild symptoms will be cared for and treated at the Tien Son field hospital once it is fully operational.

In particular, Mr Quang also affirmed the city authorities’ strong stance on strictly handling any acts of violating the city's social distancing rules, especially cases of ignoring bans on public gatherings.

According to Doctor Ton That Thanh, Director of the Da Nang Centre of Disease Control (CDC Da Nang), in addition to drastically-implemented measures, the local health sector is now concentrated on identifying Da Nang's areas at most risk of coronavirus resurgence in a bid to help prevent further transmission.

For the time being, four areas have been identified as Covid-19 hotspots, namely the Hoa Cuong wholesale market, residential area No 31 in Lien Chieu District’s Hoa Minh Ward, the Son Tra District-based Nai Hien Dong Market, and sections of Le Duan Street in Hai Chau Ward No 2. 

These areas are places where many laboratory-confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported or patients had frequently visited before being diagnosed with the virus disease. 

Currently, the CDC Da Nang’s staff test an average of about 9,300 samples in total, with a high day-on-day increase of between 1,500 and 2,000, thanks to the application of group testing for the virus.

The taking of swab samples from market stallholders and market-goers at the Nai Hien Dong Traditional Market in Son Tra District

“At present, time is a very important factor in our harsh combat against the pandemic”, recently highlighted municipal People’s Committee Chairman Huynh Duc Tho. 

Chairman Tho underlined an urgent need to ensure the full compliance with the city's social distancing measures in a more drastic and effective manner in a bid to curb the spread of the deadly virus. 

Based on the recently-conducted epidemiological analysis, the city is currently on right track in gaining the control of the virus as laboratory-confirmed local community transmission cases are on gradual downward trend in spite of the higher amount of samples taken than previously.  Despite these positive signs, high vigilance against the virus should be kept in place in the time to come.

By PHAN CHUNG – Translated by A.T