A road COVID-19 medical checkpoint is set up in Quảng Nam Province to provide testing and health declarations for entrance to the province. The COVID-19 infections has been under controlled in the central region. Photo courtesy of Văn Mười

CENTRAL REGION — A donation of VNĐ1 billion (US$43,000) will be sent from Đà Nẵng City to support five localities of Laos – Salavan, Champasak, Attapu, Savannakhet and Sekong – in the fight against COVID-19.

Chairman of Đà Nẵng City’s People’s Committee, Lê Trung Chinh, said the cash donation will help provinces in Laos ease the financial burden of COVID-19 preventive measures amid the outbreak in Laos.

Earlier, the city delivered medical equipment to support the hardest-hit Vietnamese provinces of Bắc Ninh and Bắc Giang.

Panels are set at a dining room in the Đà Nẵng Seafood processing zone. Series of COVID-19 prevention measures have been strictly regulated in the city. Photo courtesy of the National Steering Commitee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control

Mass testing has been rapidly conducted at industrial zones and living quarters and for taxi drivers since last week with more than 290,000 people being tested. The samples of 13,000 of the total 25,000 workers in industrial zones and parks in the city were negative with SARS-COV-2. The remaining results are pending.

Meanwhile, neighbouring Quảng Nam Province began easing COVID-19 restrictions in Duy Xuyên, Đại Lộc districts, Hội An City and Điện Bàn Town from Tuesday as the outbreak is under control.

Karaoke, bars, discotheque, massage and mass gatherings in public are still banned throughout the province. 

Cafes and restaurants in Thừa Thiên Huế Province reopened last weekend, but only groups of less than 10 people can gather.

A living area in Phú Lộc Town has been locked down since May 13, while social distancing orders still remain at Phong Hiền Commune of Phong Điền District.

The provincial Centre for Disease Control (CDC) said 610 COVID-19 close contact cases had tested negative twice, while 5,900 indirect contacts were negative for the first time since being quarantined from May 3.

Workers at an industrial park in Đà Nẵng receive SARS-COV-2 tests. Photo courtesy of National Steering Commitee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control

Quảng Ngãi Province has retained five medical checkpoints at roads to control the flow of people returning from COVID-19 hit localities. At least 10,000 local residents of Quảng Ngãi had returned home from different provinces, and 4,000 were isolated at home with daily medical checks and health declarations.

Test samples of 16,145 people were negative for SARS-COV-2, the province’s CDC has reported. — VNS