Doctor Ton That Thanh, the Director of the Da Nang Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the afternoon of August 22 said a total of 969 confirmed cases have been detected from 733,615 samples over 7 days of tougher COVID-19 curbs in the scope of mass testing for all people in local lockdown areas and ring-fencing hotspots, and the city-wide ‘one door–one test’ campaign for other parts of the city. All these cases have been reported from 54 wards and communes across the city.

Of these cases, 289 have been identified in Hai Chau District, 233 in Cam Le District, 183 in Thanh Khe District, 83 in Son Tra District, 82 in Ngu Hanh Son District, 49 in Lien Chieu District, and 48 in Hoa Vang District.

Especially, Hai Chau District’s Hoa Cuong Nam Ward has seen the highest number of confirmed cases touching 83.

A healthcare worker in Hai Chau District taking nasal swab of a household representative on Hoang Dieu Street to test for COVID-19. Photo: LE HUNG

Director Thanh said 173 cases have been detected in 42 communes and wards across Da Nang in scope of the city-wide ‘one door–one test’ campaign through its two rounds: 81 cases in first round and 92 cases in next round.

Hoa Cuong Nam and Hoa Cuong Bac wards in Hai Chau District have seen the highest number of confirmed cases touching 19 cases per ward.

In addition, 103 cases have been identified in local lockdown areas and ring-fencing hotspots. Moreover, there have been 6 other cases which have been confirmed in the COVID-19 taskforce.

Doctor Thanh said that the number of infected patients who live in the alleys accounts for 55.5% of the total newly-confirmed cases while the number of the patients who do not pose or pose little risk of spreading the virus makes up 39.9%.

Meanwhile, the number of infected patients who pose high risk of COVID-19 spread is 104 or 60.1% of the total newly-confirmed cases. Da Nang could see a rise in infections in COVID-19 contacts of some confirmed cases in the coming time.

Da Nang has 69 cases detected in the scope of two rounds of mass testing from unknown source, and the city is ramping up investigations into these cases and stepping up contact tracing efforts. 

In total, 41.04% of cases detected from the city-wide ‘one door–one test’ campaign have not yet spread the virus to others while 45.66% have infected their family members and 13.3% have spread the virus to others outside their families.

“Da Nang could see a sharp rise in new infections which will be detected in the upcoming city-wide mass testing but this is all in accordance with the Da Nang government’s forecasts. The city is moving in the right direction in the fight against the deadly disease and will successfully control the spread of the virus with effective policy response”, Mr Thanh emphasized.

Mandatory COVID-19 surveillance testing for residents in ring-fencing hotspots will be conducted on the 1^st, 4^th, 7^th, 14^th dates of the imposition of the order.

The upcoming ‘one door-one test’ campaign will be rolled out in the other parts of the city.    

Hai Chau, Cam Le, Thanh Khe, Lien Chieu, Son Tra, Ngu Hanh Son districts are at most risk of coronavirus resurgence while Hoa Vang District is identified as a high risk area. Hoa Bac commune and Hoa Ninh communes in Hoa Vang District are COVID-19 free zones.

Reporting by LE HUNG – translating by H.L