People under quarantine at HCM City National University’s dormitory, one of the largest quarantine facilities in the city, return home after completing their mandatory quarantine period. Photo plo.vn

HCM CITY — More than 200 quarantined people at a dormitory in zone A at HCM City National University in Thủ Đức District will complete a mandatory 14-day COVID-19 quarantine period and return home in the next two days if they test negative for the coronavirus twice.

As many as 1,200 quarantined people at the university’s dormitory, one of the largest quarantine facilities in the city, on Wednesday completed their quarantine period, said Lê Văn Phương, deputy director of Thủ Đức District Medical Centre.

The remaining 228 quarantined people at the dormitory are expected to complete their quarantine period in the next two days, Phương said.

The military and security training centre of the HCM City National University now has no quarantine case after all 938 people completed their quarantine period last Saturday (April 4).

Local authorities have arranged buses to transport people from other provinces to designated pick-up locations from where they will be taken home by authorities from their provinces.

COVID-19 scenarios 

The city’s Department of Health has released plans for a variety of scenarios if the number rises to 50-500 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the city.

According to the department, if the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 jumps to 500, there could be 150 cases with severe health conditions and 3,200 suspected cases requiring hospitalisation for isolation and treatment at the same time.

If there are 50-500 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the number of suspected cases could reach 740-3,200.

The city will prepare 840 beds for treatment and 30 beds for intensive care at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Củ Chi Field Hospital, Cần Giờ Hospital for COVID-19 Treatment and City Children Hospital for the scenario which envisions 50-100 confirmed cases.

It will prepare 1,400 beds for treatment and 60 beds for intensive care at the four hospitals for the scenario of 100-200 confirmed cases.

If there are 200-300 confirmed cases, it will prepare 2,500 beds for treatment and 90 beds for intensive care at six hospitals, including District 9 Hospital for COVID-19 Treatment, Children Hospital No. 2, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Củ Chi Field Hospital, Cần Giờ Hospital for COVID-19 Treatment and City Children Hospital.

If there are 500 confirmed cases, the city will prepare 3,700 beds for treatment and 150 beds for intensive care at six hospitals and existing isolation areas at hospitals in the city.

The department has also planned to arrange for an appropriate number of beds for treatment of COVID-19 patients at hospitals, and for allocation of essential medical equipment for treatment of COVID-19 patients as well as doctors and nurses needed to treat the 500 confirmed cases under this scenario.

It is estimated that a total of 548 doctors and 1,246 nurses would be needed to provide treatment and care for 500 patients with COVID-19.

Personal protective equipment for health officials, drugs, chemicals and infection prevention control measures, among others, have been evaluated for various preparedness and response plans, according to the department.

As of Thursday, the city had reported 55 confirmed cases of COVID-19. — VNS