Till date, a combined total of 6,752 out of Da Nang’s 9,300 healthcare workers from 25 medical facilities have tested negative for COVID-19, doctor Ton That Thanh, the Director of the Da Nang Centre for Disease Control (CDC) has said.

CDC Da Nang staff members having their samples taken for COVID-19 testing

The taking of swab samples from these medical workers started from February by staff of CDC Da Nang, based on the application of group testing method under the guidance of the Vietnamese Ministry of Health.

In the coming days, CDC Da Nang will conduct COVID-19 tests on the remaining healthcare workers in the city.

The Da Nang health sector is making preparations conducting random COVID-19 tests on those who are at a risk of infection soon, and coronavirus testing for these people will end by 11 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 COVID-19 infection.

In detail, the soon-to-be-tested people will be 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 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 Da Nang 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.

By PHAN CHUNG- Translated by A.T