Mekong Delta localities tighten COVID-19 preventive measures

Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Many provinces and Can Tho city in the Mekong Delta have tightened COVID-19 preventive measures as the pandemic continues to rage.

Dong Thap and Long An provinces lead in the number of cases.

In Dong Thap, the worst hit with 478 cases as of July 9, Chau Thanh district alone accounts for 240. Authorities are carrying out widespread testing in the district. 

The province has set up two teams for COVID-19 prevention and control and has a hierarchy of health establishments for treatment: Patients without symptoms are treated in the field hospital at its Military School, those with symptoms are treated at district-level health centres and severe cases to the Lung Hospital and General Hospital. 

The province plans to set up three more field hospitals following the increase in incidence and fears of a worsening situation.

Long An province has had 253 COVID-19 cases.

The outbreak in the province is related to clusters at PouYuen Company and Ho Chi Minh City’s Binh Dien and Hoc Mon wholesale markets.  

The Long An Province Department of Health has made preparations to treat as many as 2,000 patients at a time, and 5-10 percent more severe cases.

The Dong Thap Muoi Regional General Hospital treats patients with mild symptoms, more severe patients are treated at district health centres and field hospitals, and the worst affected at the Long An Lung Hospital and Long An General Hospital.

The province has six field hospitals and 42 mandatory quarantine facilities. 

The Department of Health has called for preventing people from COVID-19-hit areas in HCM City and other provinces in the Mekong Delta from travelling on roads and waterways.

The province is testing employees at companies, especially those with suspected incidence, until July 23, and mass testing in residential areas will be carried out subsequently.

Every day it carries out 15,600 quick tests. 

The province mandated social distancing under the Government’s Directive 16 in Duc Hoa, Ben Luc, Can Duoc, and Can Giuoc districts, and Tan An city from July 8.

Public transport there has been halted since July 9. 

Social distancing under the less stringent Directive No 15 is in place in the province’s remaining districts.

Other Mekong Delta provinces and Can Tho city have also seen an increase in coronavirus incidence.

An Giang increased its tally to 99 on July 9.

It has social distancing under Directive No 16 in An Phu district’s Long Binh town because of the high incidence there.

Vinh Long province’s tally had increased to 57 as of July 8.

Preventive measures are in place in Vinh Long city and the districts of Binh Tan, Long Ho and Tam Binh.

Cà Mau Province had 12 cases as of July 8. It started halting non-essential services on the same day, eateries are prohibited from selling takeaway, and people have been told to go outside only if necessary.

Ca Mau and other delta provinces such as Tien Giang require people from other provinces and cities to furnish coronavirus negative tests within the last three days to enter.

Bac Lieu requires people coming from HCM City and the provinces of Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Long An, An Giang, and Tien Giang to go into mandatory quarantine for 21 days.

Can Tho city has strengthened control at checkpoints and temporarily banned public transport vehicles coming on ferries from Vinh Long, Dong Thap and other places./.