Secretary of the Chí Linh City Party Committee Hoàng Quốc Thưởng (left) checks a quarantine centre managed by the military forces. — Photo suckhoedoisong.vn

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam's current largest coronavirus hotspot, the northern province of Hải Dương had basically managed to put under control five big COVID-19 outbreaks by Thursday, said the provincial steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control.

The five outbreaks are in Chí Linh and Hải Dương cities, Cẩm Giàng and Nam Sách districts and Kinh Môn Town.

The province has implemented strict lockdown measures since Tuesday with 949 control stations set up across the province to monitor entry and exit.

The province has as of Thursday recorded 558 COVID-19 patients since January 27. It has more than 13,900 F1 (close contact) cases, of whom more than 5,300 have completed their quarantine period, and more than 67,700 F2 cases, of whom more than 46,800 have completed their quarantine period at home.

Following the direction of the Ministry of Health (MoH) and Hải Dương Province, the Chí Linh Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control has moved all 1,625 workers of Poyun Company to nine new quarantine centres.

The move was made after experts from the MoH reported environmental and air pollution at the old quarantine centres.

Chí Linh City previously discovered a big outbreak at the company and immediately locked down the area. All of the company’s workers were asked to go to quarantine centres and 300 workers tested positive for COVID-19.

Nguyễn Văn Kiên, chairman of the Chí Linh City People’s Committee said moving more than 1,600 workers to new places was a big challenge but the city has called for all forces to complete the work.

He added that the 1,625 workers were divided into three groups, including low risk, with risk and high risk depending on their contact with COVID-19 patients.

Captain Nguyễn Mạnh Đức, from the Hải Dương City Military Headquarters, said that military forces had worked with local authorities to supervise people in quarantine centres and remind them to strictly follow preventive regulations. — VNS