Da Nang Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Quang announced on a meeting on Saturday afternoon that the municipal government will re-impose a number of COVID-19 restrictions following a surge in infections that has alarmed authorities.

Municipal Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Quang (left) delivers his address at the Saturday meeting to discuss measures to contain the COVID-​19 situation following a surge in infections. Photo: PHAN CHUNG

Restaurants and cafés in Da Nang will be banned from offering a dine-in service to customers, and these venues will be only permitted to run takeaway and home-delivery services. Besides, the government will re-impose swimming ban at beaches in a bid to stem virus spread.

The new rules will come into effect from midday today, June 20 until further notice following the government's announcement on new measures to contain the COVID-​19 situation on Saturday evening.

Da Nang had begun relaxing COVID-19 restrictions on certain activities after 21 days without local transmission. Drink and food establishments had been allowed to reopen with some restrictions and ban had been lifted on swimming ban on June 9.

Da Nang on Saturday recorded 23 new confirmed cases, all contracted locally, in the 24 hours. All the locally acquired cases in the community have been identified as primary close contacts of the 59-year- old security guard who tested positive for the virus on Friday afternoon, ending a 30-day streak without recording any community transmission.

The city Party chief demanded the health agency to work with media agencies to release exposure sites in the city, including alley 407, Le Duan Street, and the Duy Tan Plastic Company located 145 Dien Bien Phu Street, both in Thanh Khe District. Those who have been to specific exposure locations included in the announced list since June 10 are urged to contact authorities or medical facilities in their places of residence for what to do.   

Mr Quang directed the health agency and district authorities to collect information from those who were present at an exposure site, and offer COVID-19 tests for these cases as soon as possible.

 “The appearance of new cases in Da Nang in the past 2 days has negated all efforts the government and relevant agencies have made over the past one month to bring the virus situation under control, forcing us to take more drastic measures to curb the spread of the virus. The faster we can trace contacts, the faster we can stop the spread of the virus”, Secretary Quang emphasized.

Medical workers carry out disinfectant sprays for the prevention of COVID-19 in the surroundings of the alley 407 in Le Duan Street where many new cases have been detected in the past two days. Photo: PHAN CHUNG

According to health authorities, the virus variant which is responsible for new cases in Da Nang is a more transmissible variant, meaning the virus will move even faster.  

The city top leader called for continued efforts to tackle COVID-19 and enforce regulations to impose strictest penalties for non-compliance with COVID-19 rules.

Mr Quang asked the police and Thanh Khe District authorities to conduct investigations into COVID-19 transmissions occurring in the Duy Tan Plastic Company as a result of the infected security guard, and clarify the responsibilities of this company. Strictest penalties will be imposed on violators if violations are found, said Mr Quang.

Chairman of the City People's Committee, Head of the City Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control Le Trung Chinh called on every one across the city to play their part to contain the spread of the virus.

Mr Chinh urged people in the city to provide accurate and true information for health officials after they have come into close contact with new arrivals or returnees from COVID-19 hit areas. Hash penalties will be applied to individuals for falsing health information, the city leader added.

Mr Chinh also asked the functional forces to continue tightening controls at all points of entry to the city, and enhancing surveillance on new arrivals.

The focus should be paid on tightening monitoring of health and safe measures in residential settings, crowded places and other public areas in order to make sure that each individual in the city is adhering to advice and guidance from the municipal government and health bodies for infection prevention and control.

Authorities in Thanh Khe District have imposed a lockdown order on a section linking with Le Duan-Ly Thai To-Hung Vuong-Hoang Hoa Tham streets after 23 new cases were detected. Medical workers are taking swab samples of 2,400 people from more than 640 families in this area to test for COVID-19.

In May, tests on members of 420 families in this area from their swab samples taken in the One-door One Test programme came back negative for the vrus.   This is a clear evidence for the health agency to confirm that origin of the new cases in Da Nang comes from outside the city.

Reporting by PHAN CHUNG – Translating by H.L