Vietnamese people should take adequate precautions against COVID-19 as the current outbreak is expected to reach its peak in 10 days’ time, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son warned August 5.

Da Nang is the hardest hit locality, having registered nearly 200 COVID-19 cases since the outbreak started there on July 25  

Speaking on the sidelines of a working session with Hospital 199 under the Ministry of Public Security in Da Nang, a coronavirus hotspot, Deputy Minister Son admitted it is hard to respond to the outbreak in Da Nang.

Unlike the outbreak at Hanoi’s Bach Mai Hospital a couple of months ago, the one at Da Nang Hospital occurred to a greater extent and it has now spread to several hospitals with many patients, patient caretakers and medical workers infected, Son analysed.

In addition, he said many of the confirmed patients suffer from underlying illnesses and they are tied to a high risk of death. Moreover, it is also harder to carry out contact tracing, quarantine procedures and testing as several positive cases show no clear clinical symptoms of COVID-19.

Our top priority now is not finding patient zero but stepping up antibody tests to early detect infection cases in the community and track down those who have close contact with the confirmed cases, Son stressed.

According to the official, the Ministry of Health has swiftly responded to the Da Nang outbreak since it started in late July. The ministry has dispatched contingents of specialists and doctors as well as modern equipment to Da Nang to help the city stamp out the disease.

However, he said Da Nang has no choice at present but to expand the testing capacity, accelerate contact tracing, and try to treat COVID-19 patients, especially those in critical condition.

The city has expanded the testing capacity to 8,000 to 10,000 samples a day and the capacity can be increased further.

Vietnam has recorded more than 200 coronavirus cases since the fresh outbreak started more than a week ago. Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son warned the number of infection cases is likely to increase in the following 10 days when the outbreak is expected to reach its peak.

People should not be complacent, but instead they should strictly and fully follow recommendations on COVID-19 prevention and control by the health sector, Son advised.

He expressed his hope all people will abide by epidemic prevention measures and believe in the health sector’s efforts in controlling the epidemic.