Swift and aggressive contact-tracing...
Swift and aggressive contact-tracing
The patient No. 13960 arrived in Khanh Hoa Province from Phu Yen Province in her private family car on June 22. Once receiving the information on the morning of June 23, the provincial Center for Disease Control sent the person to quarantine and treatment facility at Khanh Hoa Hospital of Tropical Diseases. Her testing result showed positive for SARS-Cov-2.
Urgent announcements were issued by the medical sector to find individuals who came to the places where the patient has been to; and jointly with authorities and relevant agencies traced the contacts of the Covid-19 patient. Medical agencies and localities have disinfected and temporarily blocked down places related to the patient, including the Military Hospital 87’s Emergency Department C24; O Thi Beef Noodle Shop on Phan Chu Trinh Street; and her residence area on Buu Doa Street. Samples of 220 residents on Buu Doa Street have been taken for testing.
The contact-tracing has founded 29 F1, 12 in Nha Trang City and 17 others at Military Hospital 87. They have been quarantined at centralized facilities; 112 F2 individuals, 1 in Dien Khanh District, 67 in Nha Trang and 44 at Military Hospital 87 have been self-isolated. 29 F1, 51 F2 related to patient No. 13960 and 202 residents on Buu Doa Street, Phuoc Long Ward, Nha Trang have been tested negative for CoV-2 for the first time. Other results have remained pending, according to Huynh Van Dong, Director of Khanh Hoa Center for Disease Control.
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Another newly confirmed patient of Covid-19 community transmission arrived in Phuc Son, Cam Phuc Nam, Cam Ranh, Khanh Hoa from Thach Ngoc, Thach Ha, Ha Tinh at 22:10 on June 20. The patient is related to 3 patients No. 13949, 13951 and 13952 in Thai Binh. The patient is being treated at Khanh Hoa Hospital of Tropical Diseases. His mom and older brother have been tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 for the first time. Individuals in close contact with the person have been tested for SARS-CoV-2, home quarantined or centralized quarantined as regulated.
Tight measures against the pandemic
As soon as a new case of Covid-19 community transmission was reported in Khanh Hoa. The Provincial Steering Committee for Human Disease Prevention and Control held an urgent meeting on the afternoon of June 23 to discuss measures against the outbreak.
At the meeting, Dinh Van Thieu, Vice-Chairman of Khanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee directed the establishment of a Covid-19 prevention and control check-point in the north of the province (Van Tho Commune, Van Ninh District). People’s Committees at district level are requested to tighten measures against Covid-19, especially the operation of he community-based Covid-19 prevention and control team to promptly monitor travelers from and to pandemic areas. Khanh Hoa Department of Health has urgently traced contacts with patients; take samples for testing and undertake medical quarantine as regulated.
Khanh Hoa Department of Information and Communications jointly with the provincial Center for Disease Control and Telecommunications and businesses have messaged contact tracing alerts and instructions.
Residents’ cooperation and compliance with regulations
Under Khanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee, Nha Trang City People’s Committee and Phuoc Long Ward People’s Committee have blocked down the area around the house No. 30 Buu Doa with 40 households and 120 people to contain the Covid-19 spread. The residents are worried but all have cooperated and complied with the authorities’ recommendations in the fight against Covid-19.
“We are so worried when our area is blocked down due to Covid-19. Five members in my family have remained home with face masks on all day. We leave home only for testing. My friends and relatives have helped buy us food, foodstuff and other necessities, ” said a resident named Tran Thi Phuong Kieu.
Another resident named Le Van Hai added, “It is essential to block down the area to protect health and safety after a case of Covid-19 was detected. Although our life and work are affected due to the blockade, we all comply with the regulations and hope authorities could curb the spread of the pandemic soon.”
Besides blocking down the area around the house No. 30 Buu Doa, the ward has maintained 24-hour surveillance. All unnecessary shops are temporarily closed. Local residents are urged to avoid public gatherings. Takeaway service is allowed in the blockade area to meet the residents’ needs. They can also get food from their relatives and friends outside. A plan to provide part of food and foodstuff for residents in the blockade area is being made, according to Tran Minh Hien, Chairman of Phuoc Long Ward People’s Committee.
The blockade period depends on the tracing of F1 and F2 and testing results. The patient No.13960 did not stay long in the province, less than 24 hours until quarantined at Khanh Hoa Hospital of Tropical Diseases. The provincial health sector together with local authorities and relevant agencies have urgently implemented decisive measures to effectively contain the spread of the virus, according to Huynh Van Dong.
The heath sector has urged local residents’ cooperation and compliance with the Covd-19 prevention and control guidelines. Those returning from other provinces and cities are required to make medical declaration and adhere to the Ministry of Health’s “5K” guidelines. The community-based Covid-19 prevention and control team is required to enhance surveillance and report any related cases to the health sector for prompt response against the pandemic.
Instructions on monitoring travelers from Phu Yen
Khanh Hoa Center for Disease Control has issued an urgent document to temporarily monitor travelers to Khanh Hoa from Phu Yen. Accordingly, due to the on-going outbreak with locally- transmitted cases of Covid-19 related to patient No. 12190, the Center for Disease Control has given instructions on temporarily monitoring those returning from Phu Yen as follows: 14-day self-isolation at home from the day leaving Phu Yen and testing twice, on the 1st day and the 14th day.
During the self-isolation, they will be tested for the virus as soon as there are such symptoms as fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, loss of taste or smell, etc. If tested positive, they will be sent to centralized quarantine for treatment at medical facilities and related procedures will be implemented. F1 and F2 individuals and other related cases will be in compliance with the current regulations.
GiangLy
Translated by N.T
