Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc urges strong actions to fight the spread of COVID-19 after four community transmission cases were found in the central region. Photo baochinhphu.vn

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has urged relevant authorities to take bold actions to stop the wider spread of COVID-19 in central Đà Nẵng City and neighbouring localities after four COVID-19 community transmission cases were reported in recent days.

Speaking at a conference on COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control held in the morning of July 27, Phúc said the COVID-19 pandemic has become increasingly complicated after four patients in the central region were found to be positive for the virus after 99 consecutive days without new infections in the community.

He emphasised that it was necessary to ensure vigilance and take strong measures to avoid being hit by the uncontrolled spread of the pandemic. 

Phúc said the conference would focus on strong and synchronised measures to handle the situation.

After the 416th infection case – marking the return of community transmission after 99 days – was found in Đà Nẵng City on July 25, the Ministry of Health and the city authorities have taken measures to stop the spread of the pandemic.

The ministry sent a team of professionals to the city to help with quarantine while the city has proactively isolated at-risk areas and applied social distancing to stop gatherings of more than 30 people in the city.

The ministry would conduct mass screening and use quick test kits in affected areas in the city in an attempt to prevent the disease.

Flights would be arranged to take those headed for the city to another location.

At the conference, Acting Minister of Health Nguyễn Thanh Long said there was not enough evidence to confirm the four new cases had the same source of infection.

They could be infected from multiple sources and the origin of the outbreak was from the community, he said.

The virus found in the patients in Đà Nẵng City was a new strain, which could be invasive from outside the country.

The new outbreak could have started from early July. So far, the city has gone through four cycles of infection. 

There may be many more cases in the future, he said. 

Long also said that the virus could spread to other localities. 

The ministry has sent four teams of professionals to the city. 

More information on the conference would be provided later. — VNS