Hanoi’s leaders have asked its authorities to prepare for worse scenarios in which the average daily Covid-19 cases might climb to 3,000/day as the city has reported the rising infections over the past two weeks.

A quarantined area in Dong Da District, Hanoi. Photos: The Hanoi Times

The city continued reporting an average of 700-800 cases/day over the past week, especially 1,000 cases on December 13. The single daily figure sent Hanoi to the most affected area in terms of infections. It outpaced Ho Chi Minh City, for the first time, in the number of daily cases.  

Chief of the Hanoi’s Party Committee Dinh Tien Dung told local authorities at a meeting on December 13, saying that it is to actively respond to the worsened situation.

Accordingly, the city will gear up its strengths to improve the grassroots healthcare system and improve people’s awareness of precautionary measures.

The city’s party chief said Hanoi will mobilize the engagement of central-level hospitals and private hospitals as well as retired health professionals and medical students for the grassroots healthcare system.

In addition, it speeds up the vaccination campaign, including providing the first shots to secondary school students and the second jabs to high school ones, at the same time launching the booster shots to those finished two doses for six months.

Meanwhile, local authorities are required to prepare for home treatment of F0 and home quarantine of F1. Before, all Covid-19 patients are treated in hospitals and medical stations.

He emphasized the importance of the engagement of different stakeholders as part of people has fallen into a state of neglect, gathering in-crowd for parties and events, and ignoring the 5K (masking – disinfection – distance – no gathering – medical declaration) principle.

Dung warned of the risk of widespread transmission on the occasions of Christmas Day 2021 and the 2022 New Year.

At Hanoi's biggest Covid-19 hospital.

Hanoi relaxed restrictions since mid-October. Over the past two months, the city has confirmed 15,000 Covid-19 infections, including 4,500 cases in a week starting on Dec 6.

The city is operating 32 hospitals, quarantine centers, and mobile clinic stations which are capable of treating 100,000 cases.

Given rising infections, Dong Da District, one of four inner districts in Hanoi, closed from December 13 all non-essential services and advised residents to stay home as possible.

The closure is imposed for all wet markets, religious rituals, cultural activities, and gatherings of from 20 people. Restaurants are allowed to offer takeaways and 50% of seat capacity. Meanwhile, schoolchildren turn to online classes.

Khong Minh Tuan, Deputy Director of the Hanoi’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said Dong Da’s move is necessary and suitable for the pandemic evolution in the locality. Local authorities are tasked with changing anti-pandemic response strategies when needed.

As Dong Da is now labeled high risk, the local government needs to limit non-essential activities and advise people not to go to other regions, Tuan said.

Dong Da is the first district in Hanoi to tighten precautionary measures since the city has relaxed restrictions on October 13, 2021. Currently, Hanoi has resumed a series of activities namely dine-in services, parks, public means of transport, and hotels, except for bars, and karaoke lounges.