Deputy PM urges Kien Giang to speed up COVID-19 screening, testing

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam (C) inspects COVID-19 prevention and control in Kien Giang province (Photo: VNA)

Kien Giang (VNA) - Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has asked authorities of the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang to step up COVID-19 screening and testing in the community, especially in high-risk places such as markets, bus stations, and airports.

Addressing a working session with local officials on COVID-19 prevention and control on August 8, Dam, who is also Chairman of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, requested the province to implement these jobs more strictly and faster in order to swiftly zone off and stamp out the pandemic, towards forming a safe area in the southern region of Hau river.

Kien Giang must quickly set up a hotline to guide people to early recognise signs of suspected COVID-19 infection, so facilitating the screening in the community, he said.

The Deputy PM underlined the need to protect hospitals by increasing rapid testing to screen all medical staff, and those who have symptoms when they come for medical examination and treatment.

Kien Giang should promote the active role of community teams to detect and strictly handle those who do not make medical declarations or make dishonest declarations, he said, adding that this is the most radical anti-pandemic solutions.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lt. Gen. Vo Minh Luong, Head of the Government's Special Working Group, said that Kien Giang should focus on re-organising the management and tighten the control at concentrated quarantine sites to minimise cross-infection.

According to Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Nguyen Luu Trung, as of 7am on August 8, Kien Giang reported 459 cases of COVID-19. Since July 19, the locality confirmed 276 cases, including 102 cases in the community.

The province complected two phases of COVID-19 vaccinations with more than 48,500 doses of vaccines administered to local people. It is carrying out the 3rd phase, which is expected to end on August 10.

Earlier on the same day, Dam inspects the treatment work at the provincial Hospital of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases, and the vaccination work and concentrated medical quarantine facilities at the provincial General Hospital./.