A notice board, warning passengers to keep a distance of 2m at least when they have check-in for their flight in Hà Nội-based Nội Bài International Airport. —VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội authorities have ordered an estimated 15,000-20,000 local residents who recently returned from Đà Nẵng to fill out health declarations, self-quarantine and co-operate with health officials for SARS-CoV-2 testing if required.

Ngô Văn Quý, deputy chairman of the Hà Nội People’s Committee made the order at the meeting of the city’s Steering Committee on COVID-19 Pandemic Prevention and Control, held on Monday afternoon.

The move came after Việt Nam confirmed 15 new cases of community transmission in Đà Nẵng City and Quảng Ngãi Province between July 25 and 27. The new cases were confirmed after the country had experienced 99 days without any community transmission of coronavirus.

Quý also told municipal agencies to take drastic measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic.

The agencies were required to manage quarantine areas, detect and prevent cases of illegal entry, prepare facilities if the city confirmed new cases of infection and ensure safety for more than 180,000 students who will sit the national high school exam on August 9 and 10, he said.

Also at the meeting, Trần Thế Cương, chairman of the People’s Committee of Bắc Từ Liêm District, said a man of the district’s Xuân Đỉnh Ward who had been suspected of contracting the virus was confirmed as negative for SARS-CoV-2.

The man visited Đà Nẵng City on July 13 and returned to Hà Nội on Sunday with symptoms of cough and sore throat. He was then taken to Bắc Thăng Long Hospital for quarantine and testing. His relatives and people who directly contacted with him were also quarantined.

Nguyễn Khắc Hiền, director of the city’s Health Department said although Hà Nội had experienced 103 days without new cases of COVID-19 in the community and all 121 COVID-19 patients had recovered, the pandemic was still complex.

Therefore, the local health sector had prepared facilities and equipment for the prevention and control of COVID-19, he said.

The health sector would take samples for SARS-CoV-2 testing at least twice for people who returned to the city from foreign countries and quarantine them. More tests would be taken after a month if necessary.

The health sector highly recommended local people avoiding travelling to provinces and cities with new cases. If local people had to go to the provinces and cities, they must seriously obey regulations on the prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

Additionally, local residents were told to wear masks in crowded places and wash their hands with sanitiser.

All offices, agencies and enterprises in the city must have hand sanitiser and conduct temperature checks for everyone who enters, he said.

Hiền also tasked People’s Committees at district-level to take responsibility for supervising health declarations and quarantines for people who recently returned to the city from Đà Nẵng.

In a related move, the city’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has adjusted its programmes and plans for tourism in the city. Some tourism activities that were planned for August will be postponed until further notice.

The tourism sector will work with the health sector to inspect the implementation of COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control of local hotels registered to host foreign experts in the city. — VNS