A medical centre in Đà Nẵng. The city has started screening people suffering from coughs or fever to keep out possible COVID-19 cases. — VNS Photo Công Thành

ĐÀ NẴNG — The central city’s health department has begun screening residents at home and in medical centres to stop possible COVID-19 infections in the community.

The department said all people suffering from a cough or fever should visit medical centres for health checks.

It said the urgent programme aimed to clear any cases with direct or indirect contact with unknown tourists or residents returning home from COVID-19 outbreak areas, especially old people aged over 60 and newborn babies.

People aged from 60 who are more vulnerable to the SARS-CoV-2 account for 12 per cent of the city’s total 1.1 million population. 

Director of the department Ngô Thị Kim Yến said samples that tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 would be sent to Nha Trang’s Pasteurs Institute for confirmation.

Previously, four COVID-19 cases found in the city were announced by the ministry.

According to the latest report from the city, 1,152 people in quarantine at medical centres, hotels and households had tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 as of Monday.

A report from the department revealed that 1,300 people, including 39 foreigners at the Vanda Hotel on Nguyễn Văn Linh Street, had completed 14 days in isolation as of Sunday.

The city has been treating four positive patients, including three foreigners (two British and one American).

The two British patients, who tested negative on March 10, are in good health at the city’s General Hospital.

A foreign tourist and her daughter complete a 14-day isolation time at a hotel in Đà Nẵng. All 39 foreigners were tested and received health check certificates from the city's health department before leaving for their countries. VNS Photo Võ Dũng

Also on Monday, the city’s Obstetrics and Paediatrics hospital put into operation the BK-AntiCovid robot to transport food and personal belongings in the isolation site in the hospital.

The robot, which was developed by a research team at the city’s Science Technology College in just 10 days, can carry up to 100kg.

The research team also plans to build a chemical spraying and remote body-thermal robot to limit close contact with possible COVID-19 positive cases. — VNS