Stronger enforcement of COVID-19 restrictions in 5 local lockdown wards in Son Tra District, especially worst points of pandemic namely Nai Hien Dong and Tho Quang is needed with Da Nang in a bid to contain the spread of the Delta variant, municipal Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Quang said in a meeting with the municipal Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on Sunday afternoon.

The city Party Chief asked the district authorities to set up more checkpoints in residential settings in local lockdown areas to tighten the rules and take further enforcement action in respect of any breach of COVID-19 rules, especially stay-at-home order.

Secretary Quang (left) stressed the need to tighten rules in local lockdown areas to stop the spread of the virus in the meeting on Sunday. Photo: LE HUNG

Mr Quang said that the erection of roadlocks at all points of entry and exit in local lockdown areas is needed to stop people entering or leaving these high-risk settings.

Secretary Quang directed the Authority of Da Nang Hi-Tech Park and Industrial Parks to enhance the monitoring of businesses under their management to make sure that they are properly issuing travel permits to their employees and not more than 50% of their total employees are attending the workplace.

Mr Quang said that in the current COVID-19 context, the intensive efforts developed by authorities at local level, the health agency and relevant units to protect local residents by focusing on strengthening measures to control the deadly virus are critically important.

“It is crucial time for all of us to play our part in the fight against COVID-19”, remarked Secretary Quang.   

Mr Quang asked the Health agency and the municipal Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to carefully assess the city’s COVID-19 policy responses to enable more effective measures to be taken to tackle the deadly virus.

Municipal People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh said that Da Nang is facing a complicated outbreak of the virus with rising cases detected in designated quarantine facilities and local lockdown areas.   

The city government leader demanded Son Tra District authorities to enforce COVID-19 rules to make sure that everyone in their local area is sticking to advice and guidance on infection prevention and control from the municipal government and heath bodies or face strictest penalties for non-compliance.

Mr Chinh called on police and military personnel to provide even more support for the worst-hit Son Tra District to bring the outbreak under control. The health agency was asked to roll out “one door-one test” campaign in high-risk residential settings and develop an action plan for a city-wide mass vaccination campaign.

Chairman Chinh urged the Department of Industry and Trade to work with the Da Nang Committee of Viet Nam Fatherland Front to timely provide food support from Quang Nam Province for people in designated quarantine facilities and local lockdown areas.

Dr. Ton That Thanh, the Director of the Da Nang CDC, said that COVID-19 testing has been conducted for people in Nai Hien Dong Ward for at least three times after this place entered local lockdown on August 1. However, new COVID-19 infections have been still detected in this ward till date, with 18 cases identified in Nai Hien Dong 18 Street in a single day, Mr Thanh remarked.

New cases of the coronavirus have been on the rise in Nai Hien Dong Ward with positive cases identified in residential areas and apartment buildings due to cross infections among local residents in these places, Mr Thanh noted.

Doctor Ngo Thi Kim Yen, the Director of the municipal Department of Health, said that the number of severe COVID-19 patients requiring mechanical ventilation, dialysis, even ECMO is increasing, and makes up 5% of the city’s COVID-19 cases.

Mrs Yen called on each individual across the city to take action to protect themselves and their wider community. She urged people in Son Tra District to play their part to break the chain of COVID-19 transmission by practicing physical distancing, wearing a face mask outdoors and other necessary protective measures.  

Reporting by LE HUNG – Translating by H.L