Some 1,500 samples of people returning from Cam Giang district, a hotspot of Covid-19 in the northern province of Hai Duong, have been taken for test in Hanoi.

The testing is part of the task assigned by Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Chu Xuan Dung, requiring functional forces to focus on testing coronavirus for all returnees from Hai Duong province, where has become the northern epicenter for several weeks.

Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Chu Xuan Dung speaks at the meeting. Photo: Kinhtedothi.vn

The city will screen people coming from the province’s Cam Giang district since February 2, then taking samples for all other cases from Hai Duong and 11 high risk provinces and cities, the vice chairman said at a meeting held in Hanoi on February 17.

"The task must be completed by February 21," Dung said.

The Year of the Buffalo started on February 12, and Vietnam had a seven-day Tet holiday ending Tuesday. People are returning to work across the country, prompting localities to take drastic measures to prevent further outbreaks.

Dung has requested the Hanoi Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and all districts to test all people considered at high-risk of contracting the coronavirus as soon as possible in order to keep track of the risk in the community.

"Localities have to strictly manage quarantined centers, supervise all people from concentrated quarantine establishments, and strengthen management and inspection of the pandemic prevention in accordance with requirements of the city’s Steering Committee," Dung said.

At the time of writing, Hai Duong has recorded 557 cases, with health authorities saying the outbreak is unpredictable and could last longer. Locals are prohibited from leaving Hai Duong except for emergencies.

There have been 737 cases confirmed across Vietnam since the pandemic resurgence late January. Quang Ninh is the country’s second latest Covid-19 outbreak which was detected on January 28. The infection has since then spread to 13 other cities and provinces.

Vietnam has so far had 2,329 cases, 710 of them active.