Hai Duong, the novel coronavirus outbreak area in Vietnam’s northern region, will remain a hotspot for days if it does not take stronger measures to control the spreading.

Health workers wait to take testing samples in Hai Duong. Photo: Zing

Local health experts have pointed out a number of reasons why the outbreak area remains complicated after three weeks of the virus resurgence.

The Covid-19 outbreak has spread to all 12 towns and districts in Hai Duong, recording more than 550 infections, leaving the entire locality in lockdown since February 16.

Dr Truong Huu Khanh at Nhi Dong No.1 Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City attributed the complications to unknown source of confirmed cases.

The first case was found in Hai Duong on February 27 at China-invested Poyun Electronics Co., Ltd. However, when tracing back the transmission chain, the virus was believed to spread to the community due to the movement of workers. Hai Duong is home to dozens of industrial parks.

Other reasons include slow contact tracing and isolation and poor testing capacity.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said Hai Duong outbreak is more complicated than Danang [the second wave in Vietnam started in July 2020] due to more infectious Covid-19 variant [the UK variant] and shorter incubation.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Quang Tuan, director of Bach Mai Hospital, ascribed the widespread transmission to cross infection in quarantine centers.

Echoing Tuan, Associate Prof. Tran Nhu Duong, deputy head of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE), said it’s necessary to put down the transmission within affected zones.

Workers at China-invested Poyun Electronics Co., Ltd. wait for testing. Photo: Zing

Tougher measures required

Dr Truong Huu Khanh stressed the importance of massive testing, saying it’s a key measure to stamp out the pandemic.

“Movement control is not enough, it is necessary to raise community testing capacity that is considered the key measure to contain the pandemic,” Khanh said in an interview with Zing. “Good enforcement of contact tracing, massive testing, and tightened quarantine rules might bring the situation under control in 15-20 days.”

It means that testing becomes the top priority.

To tighten up quarantine rules, the Ministry of Health has asked Hai Duong to hand over quarantine centers of more than 50 people to the army to ensure the enforcement of precautionary measures. Meanwhile, the army has been asked to relocate workers of some big companies to the army-controlled quarantine facilities for better implementation.