Hanoi Opera House switches off lights in response to Earth Hour 2020
(Photo: VNA)
In his urgent message issued on late March 28, Chairman of the municipal
People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung requested district-level localities in the
city to promptly set up working groups to review and quarantine all inpatients
discharged from Bach Mai, outpatients coming to the hospital for check-up and
treatment, those visiting or caring for patients, hemodialysis patients of the
hospital staying in nearby areas, and other people related to this hospital
since March 10.
Local administrations were also ordered to coordinate with their medical centres
to take specimens from persons subject to testing.
In particular, people who are caring for their relatives under treatment there
will be sent to the city’s concentrated quarantine facilities under Deputy Prime
Minister Vu Duc Dam’s direction at a meeting earlier on the same day.
At this meeting, the Deputy PM said the People’s Committee of Hanoi has been
working closely with the Ministry of Health to direct Bach Mai Hospital carry
out necessary measures.
However, not only Hanoi but all relevant provinces and cities need to take more
drastic actions, he said, stressing that all forces must coordinate together
closely and synchronously to stamp out this hotbed.
Other participants in the meeting shared the view that Bach Mai Hospital is
currently the biggest and most complex hotbed of COVID-19 in the country at
present. Therefore, it is necessary to promptly review and quarantine all people
coming to and leaving this hospital to prevent the coronavirus from spreading to
the community.
Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son said all medical workers, other
employees and patients at the hospital have been quarantined and have specimens
taken for testing. However, as Bach Mai is a major hospital with the flow of
people reaching 10,000 – 15,000 each day, infection risks may come from visitors
and outpatients, aside from inpatients and medical staff.
Meanwhile, Tran Dac Phu, adviser to Vietnam’s public health emergency operations
centre, pointed out that staff of companies supplying services for Bach Mai
Hospital could also be a source of virus transmission, noting several employees
of such a company have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.
Experts are also investigating professional caregivers who could be another
potential source, he added.
Phu warned about high risks of virus transmission from workers of service
providing companies and professional caregivers since they move to many medical
establishments, asking not only Bach Mai but also other hospitals to pay special
attention to these groups.
In efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19, the Defence Ministry’s arm of
chemical warfare sent soldiers to disinfect the whole Bach Mai Hospital on late
March 28.
Source:VNA