Two hundred medical workers from Quảng Ninh Province on Saturday volunteered to support COVID-19 treatment in Bắc Giang Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Vũ Văn Đức

 BẮC GIANG — Leading medical experts from the health ministry were dispatched to lend a hand to Bắc Giang on Saturday night after the northern province reported rapid transmission of COVID-19 over the weekend.

The working group included leaders of the Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health, National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Department of Preventive Medicine, Department of Health Environment Management and Hà Nội’s Bạch Mai Hospital.

From Friday to Sunday morning, the province confirmed more than 250 new cases of COVID-19.

According to Lê Ánh Dương, chairman of the province People’s Committee, Bắc Giang now has three complicated clusters in Hosiden Vietnam Ltd Company and Quang Châu Industrial Park.

“The infection rate is very quick due to cold, enclosed working environment and low ceiling,” he said.

About 160,000 labourers from 14 localities nationwide are working at industrial parks in Bắc Giang.

The chairman said local authorities would consider suspending operations of companies which do not observe COVID-19 prevention protocols.

Taking samples at Vân Trung Industrial Park in Bắc Giang Province. — VNA/VNS Photo

The province will not close all industrial parks but only small ones, he said.

The province has set up a third field hospital and is making plans for a fourth and fifth.

Also on Saturday, more than 200 medical workers from Việt Nam-Sweden Uông Bí Hospital and the health department of northern Quảng Ninh Province were sent to help Bắc Giang.

Associate Professor Trần Như Dương, deputy director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, a member of the health ministry’s working group to Bắc Giang, said the province should track down cases not only at industrial parks but also in the community.

He urged the local medical sector to mobilise COVID-19 community working groups to track down the cases.

Dr Nguyễn Trọng Khoa, deputy head of Agency of Health Examination and Treatment, said testing must also be conducted at healthcare facilities on medical workers and relatives of patients. The field hospitals will admit COVID-19 patients who do not show symptoms. The provincial general hospital will receive serious cases.

Experts of the health ministry asked Bắc Giang Province to ensure hygiene at quarantine sites and avoid cross-infection there.

Learning from Hải Dương’s experience, they said local authorities must take into consideration food supply at quarantined sites to ensure food safety.

Before putting people into buses to quarantine sites, they must go through medical screening. People who show symptoms of fever and coughing must be on different buses from others, Associate Professor Dương from the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, said.

Minister of Health Nguyễn Thanh Long ordered the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology to help Bắc Giang Province conduct quick tests.

The health ministry presented 4,000 quick test kits to Bắc Giang to assist the province in the short term.

Long requested local authorities strictly monitor quarantine sites and install cameras to detect violations. — VNS