Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung of the Hanoi People’s Committee said on Monday that the city has prepared more facilities to quarantine people from epidemic-hit areas as the municipal authorities predict an increasing influx of people from European countries in the time to come.

Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung (standing) of the Hanoi People’s Committee

The well-prepared facilities will better serve the quarantine, he said, adding that taking drastic measures against the epidemic is Hanoi’s top priority now.

Accordingly, the city will likely turn several localities into new quarantine areas, such as Thuong Thanh resettlement area in Long Bien district capable of accommodating 2,000 people, Tu Hiep student dormitories in Hoang Mai district for 2,000 people, Me Linh General Hospital for 200 patients, vocational schools in Son Tay Town, Phu Xuyen and Chuong My Districts, among others.

Chung said quarantine plays an important role in preventing disease transmission, especially for people who are linked to those positive with the virus.

He said the epidemic is under control in the city, adding that suspected people will be immediately transferred to clinics while treatment will be taken at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases.

Hanoi currently applies lockdown to several areas like a section at Truc Bach Street with 188 people, an alley in Cau Giay District with 25 people, eight apartments of a building on Nui Truc street, three households at Nguyen Khac Nhu street, and Hong Ngoc Hospital with 121 people, according to Nguyen Khac Hien, director of the municipal Department of Health.

In addition, nearly 400 people are quarantined at hospitals as they came in close contact with infected people and nearly 3,000 people at concentrated quarantine areas, half of them will end the 14-day quarantine period in the next few days.

During the quarantine period, the city support VND100,000 (US$43)/day/person regardless of Vietnamese or foreigners.

As of March 16, Hanoi confirmed 14 people infected with the new coronavirus, the largest number in Vietnam.