Dam said the prevention and control of the disease over the recent past reflects
the sound leadership of the Politburo, the Party Central Committee’s
Secretariat, the Government, the PM and the steering committee.
He asked ministries, agencies and localities to continue fulfilling assigned
tasks to minimise fatalities, including promptly discovering the sources of
infection, especially from those entering Vietnam in the past 14 days, thus
preventing the further spread in the community.
Due to the complicated developments of the pandemic, he requested classifying
high-risk and vulnerable groups such as the elderly, the disabled and those with
existing diseases.
The health sector was urged to enhance personnel training and improve the
capacity of testing and treatment to meet current demand.
About citizen protection, the Deputy PM noted that the Vietnamese living and
working abroad need to closely follow instructions in the host countries.
In case they want to return home, the Party, State and people will take
necessary measures to ensure their safety, he said, adding that every citizen
needs to follow quarantine and immigration regulations upon returning to
Vietnam.
Speaking at the event, Director of the Defence Ministry’s Department of Military
Medicine Maj. Gen. Nguyen Xuan Kien said the army has set up 140 quarantine
areas nationwide, capable of receiving 44,718 cases.
Since the onset of the outbreak, over 14,000 out of the more than 21,300 have
completed quarantine, he said, adding that the army is ready to receive nearly
40,000 others if necessary.
Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Trinh Thi Thuy said 104
hospitality providers have registered for paid quarantine services.
According to the Health Ministry, Vietnam recorded had 68 COVID-19 infection
cases as of 12:30pm on March 18, 16 of them had fully recovered and been
discharged from hospitals.
Over 31,600 who had close contacts with patients or travelled through affected
areas are being quarantined. Fifty-two patients, including 33 Vietnamese and 19
foreigners, are being treated at 10 hospitals nationwide.
Source: VNA