Addressing a meeting on Monday afternoon, Da Nang Party Committee Deputy Secretary Nguyen Van Quang highlighted the importance of making adjustments to adapt to the new normal in the light of Covid-19 outbreak. The focus is on gradually easing restrictions in Da Nang in tandem with taking proactive and necessary steps to adapt to the changing situation in the city.

Da Nang Party Committee Deputy Secretary Nguyen Van Quang (left) and municipal People's Committee Chairman Huynh Duc Tho presiding over the meeting on Monday

Chairman of the municipal People's Committee cum Head of the Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control Huynh Duc Tho affirmed the oubreak has been effectively brought under control in Da Nang. Nevertheless, it is still essential for relevant local agencies to roll out precautionary plans to respond to the possible virus rebounding in the future.

“If a new Covid-19 infection is recorded in the city in the coming time, we must control its spread effectively while creating the new normal for Da Nang life”, emphasised Chairman Tho.

For the time being, the most effective infection prevention measures such as wearing face coverings on public transport, traditional markets, and other public places must become mandatory. Also, hand washing regularly with either soap with water or alcohol hand rub and at a distance of at least 1m between people in public spaces must become new habits.

Da Nang has gone eleven consecutive days without recording a locally transmitted Covid-19 case, Doctor Ton That Thanh, the Director of the Da Nang Center for Disease Control said . Till date, about 30% of the city’s population, equivalent to 300,000 people, has had their swab and blood serum samples taken for coronavirus testing.

A total of 11,621 F1 and 15,967 F2 contacts across the city have been detected since a second wave of Covid-19 infections hit Da Nang late July.

Currently, only 70 people are kept under quarantine in medical facilities, and 297 others in designated coronavirus isolation sites, in order to monitor their health.

There are 62 remaining patients are being treated for coronavirus in the Da Nang Lung Hospital and the Hoa Vang Field Hospital which are the only 2 medical facilities designated for Covid-19 patients in the city.  

The recovered patients were discharged from the Hoa Vang Field Hospital on Monday

According to Director of the municipal Department of Health Ngo Thi Kim Yen, heed is being paid to ensuring good practice of pandemic precautions for the coronvirus in 23 public and private hospitals and over 500 private clinics which remain at risk of virus infection.

In particular, she pointed out to the deeply concerning fact that 70% of the Covid-19 patients recorded till date have showed no clinical symptoms such as fever, cough or shortness of breath. Therefore, a high vigilance against the virus’ resurgence should be kept in place for the time being.

Any failures in making medical declarations and the arbitrary use of medicine when suffering such symptoms as cough and fever among the public across Da Nang may pose a potential risk of the virus spread. Therefore, a closer eye must be kept on citywide pharmacies in a bid to squash the widespread non-prescribed use of medications.

In related news, the Da Nang Department of Health reported 13 more coronavirus recovered on Monday, bringing the total to 281 recoveries since a second wave of Covid-19 infections hit Da Nang late July. 

Of them, 10 were discharged from hospital. Meanwhile, in spite of their all-clear from the virus, the remaining 3 patients are being treated in the Hoa Vang Field Hospital for his regular dialysis due to his kidney failure.

By PHAN CHUNG – Translated by A.T