Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam chairs a regular anti-Covid-19 meeting today, May 10. The Ministry of Health has reported 16 new locally-infected Covid-19 cases this evening - PHOTO: VNA
HCMC – The Ministry of Health this evening, May 10, confirmed 17 new Covid-19 cases, including one imported case in Ha Tinh Province and 16 locally-infected ones, taking the day’s total number of Covid-19 infections to 129, the highest single-day figure since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
The 16 latest locally-transmitted patients were reported in Hung Yen, Danang, Bac Giang, Hanoi and Vinh Phuc.
Since April 27, the total number of Covid-19 cases reported in 26 provinces and cities by community transmission has reached 458.
Speaking at a regular meeting of the national steering committee for Covid-19 infection prevention and control today, many experts said that Vietnam was basically controlling the sources of infections of the current hotspots, including Danang, Yen Bai, Hanoi-based K Hospital and National Hospital for Tropical Diseases and Hai Duong.
Associate Professor Dr Tran Dac Phu, an expert with the Vietnam Public Health Emergency Operations Center, said that the implementation of the 5K protocol might be a key to stopping the Covid-19 spread. Besides, it is necessary to maintain the “contact tracing, lockdown, quarantine and treatment” strategy, he added.
Addressing the meeting, Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said, “We must consider Covid-19 testing one of the key missions. Covid-19 screening should be conducted at high-risk sites, such as healthcare centers, wet markets, supermarkets, factories, residential areas and lodging facilities."
Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, head of the national steering committee, ordered provinces and cities which have yet to be hit by Covid-19, to stay on high alert for Covid-19 infection and asked residents to strictly follow anti-Covid-19 measures, including wearing face masks.
Harsh sanctions must be imposed on people who wear no face masks in public, Deputy PM Dam added.
In addition, the national steering committee also told the Ministry of Health to complete a response plan in case 30,000 people test positive for Covid-19 this week, the local media reported.
