Addressing an online meeting on Saturday afternoon with the Da Nang Steering Committee for COVID-19 prevention and control, municipal Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Quang emphasized the need to roll out the third round of mass community testing across the city in better practices compared to the previous rounds of the screening program.

Mr Quang called for effective measures to not miss anyone, including renters and freelancers, who need to be tested for COVID-19 during the third round of mass community testing.

Da Nang Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Quang (left) and municipal People’s Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh (right) co-chair an online meeting of the municipal Steering Committee for COVID-19 prevention and control on Saturday afternoon. Photo: LE HUNG

Secretary Quang said that the Da Nang government has decided to extend strict stay-at-home for 3 more days under Decision No. 2788/QD-UBND. This decision came after the city had reviewed its activities and outcomes in response to the COVID-19 over the past 5 days of tougher COVID-19 curbs in a bid to ensure the health and safe of all people.

He also remarked that many local people demonstrated support for the city’s policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic in line with the current direction, and suggested that the restrictions should be extended in the city for 7 more days.

However, the regulation is now extended for only 3 more days to allow the city to roll out the third round of mass community testing to find all cases, and make accurate risk assessments in efforts to identify next steps in the fight against the deadly disease, Mr Quang emphasised.

The Da Nang top leader said that the city must spend a lot of money and use the maximum of available resources to adopt strict stay-at-home orders until August 26. He called on people and businesses across the city to continue to follow the guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus.

Mr Quang also called for concerted efforts from essential and frontline workers in COVID-19 fight along with relevant units to successfully control the spread of the virus with strong determination.

Secretary Quang asked the municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to send COVID-19 test results from the second round of the city’s mass testing to districts citywide within today, August 22. This will help authorities at local level to develop map to show the spread and severity of COVID-19 in each residential area to enable appropriate measures tailored to be adopted in their local areas, Mr Quang remarked.

The Da Nang government has approved financial package for COVID-19 relief worth nearly VND 10 billion, and close to 150,000 families in Da Nang will enjoy benefits to meet essential needs during the pandemic.

Municipal People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh asked the taskforce to increase controls at entry points to prevent COVID-19 importations. Proactive action is needed to find all cases through mass community testing, quickly identify, isolate and test all contacts in an attempt to break the chains of transmission, Mr Chinh directed.  

A healthcare worker in Hai Chau District takes nasal swab of a household representative to test for COVID-19 in the second round of mass testing in the morning of August 20. Photo: LE HUNG

Chairman Chinh demanded authorities at local level to ramp up their efforts to track down all people linked to the Hoa Cuong wholesale market cluster and exposure sites in the city in addition enhancing surveillance of designated quarantine facilities in their local areas.

Fines of VND 144 million on Saturday were imposed on 16 people for breaking the city’s COVID-19 rules. In total, over VND 3.26 billion worth of fines have been levied on 989 violators of the city’s COVID-19 restrictions since June 18, according to latest figures released by the municipal Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

Doctor Ton That Thanh, the director of the Da Nang CDC, the COVID19 has so far spread to 55 out of 56 wards and communes across the city with 882 cases reported since August 16, a rise of 386 cases compared to the previous week.

Over 360,000 people got tested for COVID-19 during the first round of mass testing from August 16 to 18, and 142 were found positive for the virus. Since August 19, nearly 29,800 people got COVID-19 tests in the next round of the screening program, and 96 cases were detected.

In addition, 11,611 people linked to the Hoa Cuong wholesale market cluster have tested for COVID-19, of whom, 217 have tested positive for the virus, and they are stallholders, workers in this venue, and patrons. Moreover, 445 cases were identified in the community and local lockdown areas.

Reporting by LE HUNG – translating by H.L