Speaking at a working session with the capital city’s leaders on pandemic prevention and control works on February 1, Long noted that this time the coronavirus has a high transmission rate, as one patient can transmit the disease to 10 others or more, not just 4-5 people like before.
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Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long speaks at the meeting. Photo: thanhnien |
The incubation period also decreased from 4-5 days to 1-2 days after contacting with the patients, he stressed.
Therefore, the capital city should change its methods of COVID-19 response, he stated, emphasising the need to consider all the second generation of infections (F1s) as suspected infections and trace for all F1 and F2 cases.
The Health Minister urged Hanoi to speed up COVID-19 testing, zone off the areas where the infected cases are detected at a broader scale, and request all locals to wear face masks when going out.
The Health Ministry is willing to provide maximum support for Hanoi, and assigns the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases to help in the treatment.
Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Chu Ngoc Anh affirmed that right after the working session, the committee will ask relevant units to continue strengthening efforts and increasing the testing and treatment capacity to quickly put the pandemic under control.
As of late February 1, the city recorded 19 infections, all related to the new outbreaks detected in Hai Duong province and Quang Ninh province.
Following directions of the municipal People’s Committee, all educational institutions officially suspended operations from February 1 to ensure disease prevention and control.
Source: VNA