The Da Nang health sector is scheduled to start to conduct random COVID-19 tests on those who are at a risk of infection on 3 March.

The move aims to early detect COVID-19 cases and then promptly implement measures to help curb further transmission, hereby eliminating the risk of future pathogen emergence in the city. 

In addition to cases subjective to compulsory medical isolation in accordance with the regulations adopted by Viet Nam's National Steering Committee for the COVID-19 Prevention and Control and Vietnamese Ministry of Health, the Da Nang health sector will conduct COVID-19 tests on 10 - 20% of those in certain target groups placed at risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

In detail, the soon-to-be-test persons will those who have made their return to Da Nang from coronavirus-hit Vietnamese localities or their adjacent places, along with drivers and assistants of inter-provincial passenger coaches, taxis, contracted vehicles, and road freight vehicles operating on fixed routes between Da Nang and coronavirus-hit localities or their adjacent places from 1 February.

Besides, COVID-19 tests will be conducted on front-line medical staff, men registering for the military service and other cases at a risk of infection under the direction of Da Nang government, the municipal Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

As required by the municipal administration, the Da Nang Centre for Disease Control (CDC) will closely work with the district-level medical centres to identify sample collection and preservation locales.

The collected samples must be transported to local facilities completely eligible for COVID-19 testing.
For the time being, Da Nang is still on the right track in following the drastic motto of contact tracing - isolating- testing in a bid to keep coronavirus out of the city.

By PHAN CHUNG- Translated by A.T