Tightening quarantine is one of drastic measures that Vietnam has been dtaking to control the spread of the coronavirus which has killed 565 people and caused 28,276 infections worldwide.

Vietnam has taken different measures to quarantine the people at risk of infection of the new coronavirus (nCoV), mostly in localities having people confirmed positive with nCoV, according to Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long.

Vietnam tightens quarantine to prevent the spread of epidemic. Photo: Giaoducthoidai

Currently, related authorities have classified three levels of quarantine, including absolute quarantine at hospitals for infected and suspected people; quarantine at home and lodging facilities for Vietnamese and Chinese nationals travelling across China; limited quarantine of those who made contact with infected ones; and quarantine of those who made contact with the people who are in connection with the infected.

The fourth kind has been applied for the localities having people confirmed positive with nCoV, for example in the northern province of Vinh Phuc where five out of eight people coming from Wuhan, China have been infected with nCoV.

Accordingly, all people coming from or traveling across China have been quarantined at the border areas, Long was quoted by the Tuoi Tre newspaper as saying.

Meanwhile, all Vietnamese people coming from China would be quarantined at military barracks.

The quarantine lasts 14 days.

3,000 sickbeds ready for worse situation

The deputy minister of health said a number of medical stations across the country have made around 3,000 sickbeds available for the treatment of nCoV-infected patients.

Vietnam’s health sector has also prepared for different scenarios. National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hanoi and Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City are two national hubs mainly taking responsibilities for the quarantine and treatment of nCoV patients and suspected cases.

Meanwhile, hospitals in all 64 cities and provinces nationwide are ready for the epidemic control.

In another move, the Ministry of Health has set up 45 quick response teams which are equipped with modern facilities and have experienced doctors to get ready for necessary cases.