Da Nang People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh highlighted huge efforts authorities at local level and relevant agencies have made to control the spread of the virus during his meeting with members of the municipal Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control held late on Tuesday, January, 4.

Chairman Chinh delivers his instructions on the Tuesday’s meeting. Photo: LE HUNG

Chairman Chinh warned of the potential to see an increase in COVID-19 cases from now until the Lunar New Year (Tet) Holiday as an array of exciting events for Viet Nam’s biggest and most important national holiday will take place across the city. Hence, he called on authorities at local level to apply stricter anti-virus in their locales with a focus on limiting public gatherings and unnecessary meetings in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus.

The municipal Department of Health was urged to complete the COVID-19 booster programme for people who have received their last dose before September 30 to ensure continued protection for those most at risk from COVID-19 before Tet. In addition, the heed must be paid on evaluating the effectiveness of the pilot programme for mildly ill COVID-19 patients to recover at home in order to give advice to the municipal government to expand it across the city in the coming time, Mr Chinh emphasized.

Chairman Chinh agreed to the health agency on a proposal to increase the frequency of screening tests for hospital staff to every 3 days.

The Department of Finance was tasked to give consultations to the municipal administration to provide free of charge food for some hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in local healthcare facilities. The Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs was directed to identify people who are facing financial hardships due to the coronavirus pandemic to provide grants for them before Tet.

The Department of Education and Training was asked to create a plan to help the remaining students in Da Nang join in-person classes as soon as possible.

Relevant agencies were asked to give advice to the municipal government to consider reopening more services and activities in the coming time.

Doctor Ton That Thanh, the Director of the Da Nang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that 185 additional COVID-19 patients were discharged from Da Nang’s hospitals on Tuesday. There are 1,605 remaining active cases of COVID-19, including 5 requiring critical care, that are being treated in healthcare facilities, of which, 80 tested negative for the virus once.

Da Nang has recorded 802 cases of COVID-19 since January 1, 2022.

Besides, there are currently 31 patients with mild illness that are being monitored and isolated to recover at home.

Reporting by PHAN CHUNG – Translating by H.L