Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung of the Hanoi People’s Committee has demanded subordinate authorities to take protective measures in a stricter manner after the city reported more coronavirus cases.

Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung of the Hanoi People’s Committee at a meeting on Monday. Photo: Kinhtedothi

The first out of the priorities is to quarantine all people who are linked to Ha Loi village, which houses more than 11,000 residents and is under lockdown. Accordingly, anyone who came to the village between March 15 and April 10 would be quarantined for at least two weeks even though they have tested positive for the virus.

A total of nearly 700 people involved in the village should be immediately quarantined, the chairman said at a meeting on Monday, requiring local authorities to track down people who came into contact with the villagers who sold flowers across the city.

The mayor demanded two-week home isolation for all people who are linked to Ha Loi village and Bach Mai Hospital, the largest coronavirus hotspot in Vietnam.

Secondly, the municipal Department of Health needs to ask all pharmacies to report on buyers who sought medicines for fever, flu, cold, and cough. “Pharmacies that fail to follow the requirements would have their license withdrawn,” Chung stated.

Thirdly, the local health system is required to take more samples for testing with an average of 5,000-7,000 units per day. The Hanoi Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will take responsibility for the testing.

Echoing the mayor, Director of the Hanoi CDC Nguyen Nhat Cam said that testing of suspected Covid-19 people would be one of the best precautionary measures as up to 68% of Covid-19 patients in Hanoi have no symptoms of the disease or mild symptoms. Up to two thirds of the cases would be missed if only medical signs are paid attention to, the official said.

Last but not least, the city’s mayor emphasized the need of social distancing and required strict punishment for people who infringe the order.

Over the past three days, the absolute majority of new coronavirus cases in Vietnam have been dectected in Hanoi.

As of April 14, Hanoi has reported 114 cases, including 66 convalescents, the highest number of infection nationwide.