Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam on February 12 said supervision and quarantine work is the most important work at present to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19).

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam speaks at the meeting. (Photo: VNA) 

Speaking at a meeting in Hanoi, Dam, who is also head of the national steering committee for prevention and control of acute respiratory disease caused by Covid-19, said localities must work to stamp out any outbreak, prevent disease transmission in community or at hospital.

The number of Covid-19 infections in Vietnam remains few at 15, and there are positive signs in treatment. However, the disease is expected to continue developing complicatedly and there is a very high risk of outbreak, the Deputy PM said.  

In such circumstances, Deputy PM Dam asked competent forces to step up the communication work to raise the awareness of quarantined people about their responsibility towards their families and society.

He instructed ministries and agencies to coordinate with and provide support in human resources and medical equipment for northern Vinh Phuc province, which have the most Covid-19 cases so far (ten as of February 11), to localize and stamp out the outbreak.

Deputy Health Minister Truong Quoc Cuong said the fast transmission of the Covid-19 means prevention of transmission is the most important work at present.

The Health Ministry affirmed that district-level clinics have received training and necessary medical equipment to ensure they can diagnose and treat Covid-19 infections. Therefore, the ministry advised people with suspected signs of Covid-19 infection to seek diagnosis and treatment at district-level clinics instead of flocking to central-level hospitals to reduce the risk of the virus spreading in community. 

According to the Ministry of Health, as of 10:30 on February 12, a total of 45,170 cases of Covid-19 infection had been recorded in 28 countries and territories worldwide, of which 44,653 were in China.  

The death toll had reached 1,115, with 1,113 in mainland China, one in the Philippines and another in Hong Kong (China).

Among the 15 confirmed cases in Vietnam, six have recovered. The latest patient, who is also the youngest case recorded so far, is a three-month-old baby from Vinh Phuc’s Binh Xuyen district.