Ho Chi Minh City is carrying out medical surveillance on arrivals from six epidemic-hit cities and provinces as of August 20, including Hanoi, Hai Duong, Bac Giang, Da Nang, Quang Nam, and Quang Tri, in an effort to swiftly detect infection sources and contain the spread of the virus within the local community.

This regulation sees people arriving from these provinces and cities divided into four separate groups. All individuals who previously came into close contact with novel coronavirus (COVID-19) patients must carry out medical declarations, have samples taken for testing, and undergo an isolation period in line with regulations set out by the Ministry of Health.

This measure to monitor cases will also be applied to those returning from areas, which have implemented social distancing measures under the Prime Minister's Directive 16.

Most notably, the 14-day medical surveillance is valid from the date of arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, with provinces which are under monitoring being updated in accordance with developments regarding the epidemic situation.

Since a recurrence of COVID-19 in late July, Quang Nam province has recorded 100 cases of infection, whilst there has also been 18 cases in Hanoi, 17 in Hai Duong, 10 in Bac Giang, and seven in Quang Tri. These localities have therefore detected a number of epidemic outbreaks, the majority of which are linked to Da Nang, the nation’s most recent COVID-19 hotspot. 

A total of 53,428 people who returned to the southern metropolis from Da Nang in July filled out medical declarations and had their samples taken for COVID-19 testing. Indeed, as many as 1,180 people are in quarantine at concentration sites whilst 3,409 people have been placed into isolation at home or their places of residence.

At present, Ho Chi Minh City has gone 20 days without recording a single case of community transmission. Among the 15 patients currently receiving treatment, eight are related to Da Nang, and seven which were isolated immediately upon entry.