Some 5,500 Hanoians having returned from Danang since May 1 have undergone rapid testing for Covid-19, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Center for Disease Control (CDC) Khong Minh Tuan said on May 15.

Tuan stressed that Hanoi is expected to complete the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing for all returnees from the beach city tomorrow.

He said that as soon as the municipal Department of Health issued an urgent dispatch last night, all districts have identified about 5,500 people returning to Hanoi from May 1 to 14 and asked them to fill out health declaration forms and undergo the RT-PCR test.

Functional force traces of people linked to Covid-19 infections in Hanoi on May 14 evening. Photo: Pham Thang

The decision was made after Hanoi continuously recorded Covid-19 patients returning from Danang city.

“The whole city has to hurry to complete testing all returnees from Danang to soon wipe out the novel coronavirus. After testing these 5,500 people, the city will assess the sources of highest risk of Covid-19 infections and require strict compliance with preventive measures," said the deputy director.

He noted that the Hanoi Department of Health requested those with coughing or fever symptoms have to undergo tests immediately, and only when they have a negative RT-PCR test result, could they be allowed to receive treatment of other illnesses.

“All people who made direct contact with the Covid-19 patients (known as F1) must be quarantined in concentrated centers and taken samples for RT-PCR twice in 21 days. Meanwhile, those who made contact with F1 are isolated at home and also tested,” Tuan repeated the heath department’s requirement.

Tuan emphasized the risk of Covid-19 infections in Hanoi these days is much more serious than last year’s outbreak. The city’s health sector has to send medical staff to fight the Covid-19 outbreaks in different districts, including Thuong Tin, Dong Anh, Thanh Tri, Gia Lam, even the coronavirus infections from illegal immigrants.

Since the new outbreak on April 29, Vietnam has recorded 788 local Covid-19 cases in 26 localities.

At the time of writing, nation’s tally is 3,854, with 2,657 recoveries and 35 deaths. Over 959,000 have been vaccinated against Covid-19 so far.