Chairmanof the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong said at a meetingwith district authorities on August 17 that since May, the city hasdetected 152 people entering the city illegally, including one personwho tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.
Thiscould be a serious source of transmission if the city does not controlsuch entries, Phong said.
Heinstructed police to strengthen inspections and set up booths tocheck for people illegally entering the city.
Phongsaid that although the city had not recorded any new COVID-19 incidence incommunity in the last 15 days, the risk of an outbreak still existedbecause of the city's high population density and travel demands.
Hetold leaders of people’s committees in districts, communes, wards andtowns and relevant agencies to remain vigilant because the outbreakin Da Nang had spread to 15 other provinces and cities in the country.
“Weneed to be more drastic in the implementation of preventive measures againstthe COVID-19 pandemic. If the city has new incidences of COVID-19 in thecommunity, it will be dangerous because the city has high population density andbusy economic activities, leading tomore rapid transmission than other provinces and cities,” Phongsaid.
Localauthorities and relevant agencies should prepare long-term scenarios to adaptto the COVID-19 pandemic, he added.
Thecity has 15 COVID-19 patients being treated at hospitals, while 182 peoplehave symptoms of a respiratory infection. The latter are being watched andtested at hospitals’ quarantine areas.
Asof August 17, as many as 53,317 people who have returned from Da Nang havefilled out health declarations. Six of them have tested positive forSARS-CoV-2 and 52,675 negative for the virus. The others are waitingfor test results.
Thecity plans to expand screening tests for people coming from provincesand cities with a high number of COVID-19 cases, such as Quang Nam, QuangNgai, and Hai Duong and Hanoi./.