Da Nang Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Quang urged authorities at local level and relevant agencies to accurately assess COVID-19 risk for the city in a bid to develop swift and effective response to the pandemic at a meeting of the municipal Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control held late on Thursday, November 3.

Secretary Quang (left, first) and Municipal People’'s Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh co-chaired the meeting of the municipal Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on the afternoon of November 3. Photo: LE HUNG

The meeting was co-chaired by Secretary Quang and Municipal People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh and attended by members of the municipal Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, and officials from relevant agencies.

Secretary Quang stated that the COVID-19 situation in Da Nang is getting more complex, and the city is facing very high risk of COVID-19 resurgence as local cases from unknown sources have been reported in districts across the city over the past two days.

He remarked that a surge in people's movement amid nationwide reopening posts COVID-19 threat to Da Nang and other parts of the country.

The Da Nang top leader called on officials and local residents to remain on high alert due to rising cases of COVID-19 cases, as well as keep calm to develop effective responses to their local respective circumstances arising from the pandemic.

Mr Quang highlighted the need to keep a close watch on people entering and returning to Da Nang from other localities in an attempt to reduce the chance of these people to bring coronavirus into the city.

The Da Nang Party Chief directed officials from the health agency and authorities at local level to ramp up tracing, isolating, testing efforts following a rise in positive cases in the community in a bid to suppress the virus.

Mr Quang asked authorities at local level to increase checks and enhance monitoring of production facilities, eating and drinking establishments to make sure they are complying with the city’s rules around QR code check-in for visitor management or face tough penalties for non-compliance in an attempt to mitigate the risk of virus spread.  

Secretary Quang stressed the need for COVID-19 inspection and monitoring activities at Le Gia 2 Restaurant where 2 positive cases were identified. This restaurant could face strictest penalties or even a closure order if it is found violating the city’s COVID-19 rules.

The health agency was tasked to make adjustments to the city’s COVID-19 testing plan to adapt to the prevailing situation in Da Nang as population-scale testing is an essential component of responses to the pandemic.

Local residents were advised to voluntarily declare their health status if they develop COVID-19 symptoms, have come into contact with a positive case, or visited COVID-19 exposure sites.

The focus must be on raising public awareness about the dangers of COVID-19 in order to help them take action to protect themselves and their wider community.

Municipal People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh called on authorities at local level to take drastic action in line with the current direction from the government to prevent the rebound of COVID-19.  

Mr Chinh stated that active COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in people entering and returning to Da Nang from other parts of the country, and the city has found very hard to trace COVID-19 contacts following a rise in cases detected in restaurants and bistros.

He, therefore, said that the highest priority should be placed on COVID-19 prevention and control practices, with a focus on tightening controls at entry points in the city, and such high-risk venues as industrial parks and the fishing wharf.

Besides, heed must be paid on enhancing surveillance of people who are self-isolating at home and their related persons while enforcing face mask and QR code check-in rules to take action against any violations of such rules.

The health agency was asked to speed up vaccinations in efforts to ensure all over 18s receive a COVID-19 vaccine to give them the best protection against the deadly disease.

Reporting by LE HUNG – translating by H.L