Police officers, health staff and volunteers remove barriers that had separated the alleys 328 and 330 in Nguyễn Trãi Street in Thanh Xuân Trung Ward, Thanh Xuân District in Hà Nội. VNA/VNS Photos Tuấn Anh

HÀ NỘI – Hundreds of residents of Thanh Xuân District in Hà Nội have returned to their homes after they were evacuated when their neighbourhood became the capital's biggest COVID cluster.

Hundreds more will be back in their own houses over the next few days.

A month ago, after a surge in cases, the majority of people living in the area were moved to the FPT University on the outskirts of Hà Nội.

But now the virus has been contained, the operation has begun to get people back home. 

Dozens of frontline workers, mainly volunteers, who stayed working in the alleys to contain the spread of the virus, have also now fulfilled their missions and are returning to their own families. 

"Just seeing people’s smiles and return to safety makes us always ready to sacrifice everything, because we are frontline workers," one volunteer said.

"When the lockdown was lifted we can return to our families. We miss them a lot."

Alleys 328 and 330 on Nguyễn Trãi Street in Thanh Xuân Trung Ward became the city’s biggest COVID cluster after a mother and her daughter tested positive on August 23.

Within the space of just a few days, the virus infected around 600 more people. 

Because the area was crowded, with small, densely populated alleyways, the authorities took the decision to evacuate, moving the majority of those who had tested negative to a facility around 17km away. 

The infection source, according to the city’s CDC, was a vegetable vendor who regularly visited the Ngã Tư Sở wholesale market in Đống Đa District. 

The two alleys ended its 36-day lockdown at midnight on September 28.

Police forces, along with the civil defence and health workers, removed the barriers that had blocked lanes 328 and 330 at the stroke of midnight yesterday.

The returning residents expressed their joy and relief at being back in their own homes. 

Residents return home after completing the concentrated quarantine period on September 29.

Phạm Huy Quân, a resident of Thanh Xuân Trung Ward, said that his family and many people in the blockaded area have seriously implemented the regulations on prevention and control of COVID-19.

"We will continue to strictly comply with the city's regulations to maintain the new normal life we have made efforts over the past month to gain," he said.

Trịnh Thái Hùng added: "I was in the Community COVID Team of the area. We were fully equipped with hats, masks and clothes, but this COVID virus is so evil that all our members were infected.

"I have an 87-year-old mother who became F1 together with my child. My wife became an F0 after being infected while going to get the vaccines. She was treated in Thanh Nhan Hospital. Her result turned negative after 13 days of treatment. I am very happy that I can return home."

All residents are required to monitor their health and strictly follow the guidelines in COVID-19 prevention and control measures.

Thanh Xuân Trung Ward's COVID-19 Prevention and Control Unit requested all residents continue to monitor their health and strictly follow the guidelines in COVID-19 prevention and control measures due to the complicated development of the pandemic.

Those who have cough and fever must immediately report their symptoms via the website tokhaiyte.vn or via the Bluezone medical app or contact local health authorities for instructions.

Those returning home who had previously tested positive for coronavirus must home-quarantine for 14 days while seven days for F1 people. VNS