Nghe An identified 3 large outbreaks, the infected case in Quy Hop carried a super-infectious virus strain

On the morning of June 25, under the chairmanship of Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control held an urgent meeting after many cases of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection appeared in the province, many of which were related to the wholesale market (Vinh City).

Overview of the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control. Photo: Pham Bang

Reporting at the meeting, Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Dinh Chinh - Director of the Department of Health said that since June 13, the province has recorded 51 cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in 10 localities, including 8 cases related to the outbreak at the wholesale market (Vinh City). This morning alone, the province announced 6 cases of infection, many of which have very complicated schedules.

For the 2 cases in Hoang Mai town, up to this point, 31 F1 cases and 300 related people have been traced. The case in Nghia Dan is F1 of the case in Quy Hop. The case in Nam Dan is very complicated, related to the wholesale market, the patient traveled to many places to collect goods and then transported them to the wholesale market to sell. Up to this point, 31 F1 cases have been traced.

Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Dinh Chinh - Director of the Department of Health reported on the epidemic's developments and proposed new measures in disease prevention and control. Photo: Pham Bang

The case in Nghi Loc is relatively complicated, also specializing in collecting goods from markets in Nghi Loc, Hung Nguyen, then bringing them to wholesale markets to sell. In addition, this case has been in contact with many people, currently 300 samples have been taken for testing. The case is a driver from Quang Ngai who stopped to eat in Ha Tinh, almost unrelated to the cases in Nghe An.

Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Dinh Chinh said that through the analysis of the tracing team, it was determined that there are currently 3 major outbreaks in the province. The first outbreak is related to a case working as a hair washer in Ha Huy Tap ward (Vinh city). The second outbreak is cases returning from Bac Giang, and the case in Quy Hop district carries a super-infectious virus strain. The third outbreak is at the wholesale market in Vinh city, and the source of infection is still unknown.

The epidemic situation in the province is complicated, many cases of F0 are lost. Many localities are still confused in investigating and tracing people related to infected cases, and building centralized quarantine areas.

Chairwoman of the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee Vo Thi Minh Sinh speaks at the meeting. Photo: Pham Bang

At the meeting, members of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control also discussed issues related to epidemic prevention and control measures such as the establishment of a community COVID Team, the use of the Covid-19 Prevention and Control Fund; activities of traditional markets, etc.

Chairwoman of the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee Vo Thi Minh Sinh proposed that the Provincial Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control decide to establish community COVID Teams in communes and districts with five main tasks.

At the district and commune levels, this team is headed by the Standing Deputy Secretary. In villages and hamlets across the province, community COVID teams are also established, including representatives of Party committees, organizations, unions... each team manages and supervises 30-50 families.

Colonel Pham The Tung - Director of the Provincial Police Department spoke at the meeting. Photo: Pham Bang

Colonel Pham The Tung, Director of the Provincial Police Department, suggested that in the tracing work, there should be closer coordination between units and clear assignment of tasks to each sector. In addition, it is necessary to organize screening and strict control of people returning from other epidemic areas to the locality. Community COVID Teams in villages, hamlets, and hamlets are assigned to the police force as team leaders.

Director of the Department of Industry and Trade Pham Van Hoa said that, with the viewpoint of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic but not "blocking rivers and banning markets", localities must rearrange the operation plan at the markets, including arranging the correct distance between stalls, fully implementing epidemic prevention and control measures, and allowing people to go shopping on even and odd days...

Concluding the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung assessed that the Covid-19 epidemic in the province continues to develop complicatedly, including the outbreak at the wholesale market in Vinh City with a wide spread and high complexity.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung concluded the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control. Photo: Pham Bang

In localities, the work of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic has changed positively but there are still limitations. The important task now is to prepare scenarios for the situation in the province and localities where more cases appear.

To prevent, control and prevent the epidemic from spreading widely, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested that when suspected cases of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection appear, zoning and tracing must be carried out immediately, without waiting for the CDC Center to confirm. The Industry and Trade Department is in charge of directing localities to strictly control activities at traditional markets, especially in Vinh City.

Immediately after the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung also chaired a meeting with the Steering Committees for Covid-19 Prevention and Control of 21 districts, cities and towns across the province.