Violations of COVID-19 prevention and control measures must be strictly punished, he added.
Regarding the situation in northern Hai Duong province, Long said Patient 867 was infected before July 30 and has had contact with many people.
He lauded Hai Duong city’s timely imposition of social distancing measures, saying the ministry will help it with contact tracing, quarantining, and testing.
Some 1,500 samples are expected to be taken each day in Hai Duong for testing, he added.
Meanwhile, the situation in the central province of Quang Nam continues to be problematic, as only nine of its 16 towns and districts have imposed social distancing measures.
The disease is expected to be brought under control in the locality at the end of this month, according to Long.
At the meeting, committee members agreed on the need to step up treatment in central Da Nang city and Quang Nam province, and suggested the Prime Minister issue a new directive given the risk of transmission in all localities, especially major urban areas.
Regarding the second phase of the high school graduation exams, a representative from the Ministry of Education and Training said they will be held at the earliest possible date in line with the developments of the disease.
As of 6am on August 14, Vietnam had reported 911 COVID-19 cases, including 361 overseas cases quarantined upon arrival. The death toll now stands at 21.
Some 172,080 people are under quarantine nationwide.
Source: VNA