In his remarks at the Da Nang COVID-19 Monitoring Committee’s regular meeting on Thursday afternoon, municipal People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh called for strictest punishments for a driver who tested positive for COVID-19 and failed to declare his health status after returning from Ho Chi Minh City.

Municipal People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh delivers his instructions at the Da Nang COVID-19 Monitoring Committee’s regular meeting on Thursday afternoon. Photo: LE HUNG

Mr Chinh emphasized that COVID-19 importation risk from arrivals and returnees from affected areas is causing the greatest concern in Da Nang.

Hence, the municipal administration has approved the establishment of a center that is dedicated to the control of people and vehicles entering Da Nang.

The newly-formed center members consist of staff from departments of Police, Transport, Information and Communications, Industry and Trade, along with authorities in 7 districts across the city.

Besides, inspection and supervision teams have been set up across the city in a bid to increase checks on vehicles bearing identical registration plates from other Vietnamese localities, and take action against violations of the city’s COVID-19 prevention guidelines.

Chairman Chinh praised authorities at local level for their proactive action to implement COVID-19 control measures in line with the new guidance from the municipal government after more restrictions were dropped in the city from September 30.

He highlighted the need to educate the public about full adherence to the city’s guidelines and recommendations for the prevention and control of COVID-19, especially the 5K recommendations of the Ministry of Health, after more restrictions have been lifted in the city.

Mr Chinh said that additional 100,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines will be distributed in the city in order to offer first jab to those who have yet to be vaccinated.

The Da Nang leader stated that the city will see an increasing number of arrivals and returnees from other Vietnamese localities in the comming time, thereby asking for tighter controls and enhanced surveillance on these people in an attempt to reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 reintroduction from them.

Thanh Khe District People's Committee Chairman Ho Thuyen said that one new case on September 30 was confirmed in a driver who is residing on Truong Chinh Street, An Khe Ward, Thanh Khe District. He had returned home in Da Nang from Ho Chi Minh City and got a negative rapid antigen test at the checkpoint C22 at the entry point in the city

Under Da Nang’s regulations, drivers of vehicles who are allowed to travel under green lane to Da Nang are required to not stay in the city for more than 12 hours. If they want to stay in the city beyond the authorized period, they must stay in managed isolation in line with the current direction from the municipal government.  

However, the returnee from Ho Chi Minh City failed to declare his health status to the authority in his place of residence, and breached mandatory quarantine rule. He tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on September 30 after going to a healthcare facility for medical checkups due to having COVID-19 symptoms.

Authorities in Thanh Khe District have already placed the residential area where the family of the infected driver is living under full lockdown, and a total of 23 families with 91 people are being put under medical isolation. Rapid tests on 4 primary close contacts of the infected patient and members of 41 neighbouring houses came back negative for the virus. These people are waiting for their repeated PCR test results.

Reporting by LE HUNG – Translating by H.L