Why did Nghe An temporarily stop receiving citizens from other provinces for quarantine?
(Baonghean.vn) - While waiting for preparations to purchase facilities for new quarantine areas, in order to better serve the needs of returning people, Nghe An province requests that other provinces share and temporarily stop transferring citizens returning from Laos via Cha Lo and Cau Treo border gates to Nghe An.
On March 21, the People's Committee of Nghe An province sent an urgent document to Ha Tinh and Quang Binh provinces regarding the temporary suspension of receiving citizens entering the country for centralized quarantine in Nghe An.
According to the document, Nghe An province has recently done a good job of receiving citizens returning from Cau Treo border gate sent by the Ha Tinh Covid-19 Prevention and Control Steering Committee. However, due to the large number of citizens returning at a fast rate, the centralized quarantine facilities in Nghe An are currently full, exceeding the province's capacity.
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| Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Bui Dinh Long went directly to the mountainous districts to find new quarantine areas to receive citizens returning from Laos. Photo: Tien Hung |
"Therefore, the Steering Committee for Epidemic Prevention and Control of Nghe An province has temporarily stopped receiving citizens returning from Cau Treo border gate and other areas outside the province from 3:00 p.m. on March 21 to have time to focus on receiving citizens at border gates in the province and at the same time prepare conditions for facilities and other assurance plans. Nghe An province will continue to receive citizens returning from Cau Treo border gate and other areas immediately after carefully arranging places to receive citizens for centralized quarantine in the province as required," stated the content of the document signed by Vice Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee Bui Dinh Long.
Talking to Nghe An Newspaper reporters on the evening of March 21 about this, Vice Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee Bui Dinh Long said that he signed this urgent document after working directly with the Chairman of Ha Tinh Provincial People's Committee on March 20. The leaders of Ha Tinh province have agreed not to continue transferring people to Nghe An for quarantine in the next few days so that Nghe An province has time to prepare facilities, ensuring a more thoughtful reception.
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| Over the past few days, authorities in Nghe An have had to work all night to receive citizens returning from Laos, most of whom passed through Cau Treo border gate. |
"Nghe An is not refusing to accept citizens of the province, but currently the quarantine facilities are too crowded, we have just had to arrange 3 new centralized quarantine areas. But in order for these 3 new quarantine areas to be able to welcome people, we need time to prepare, purchase facilities, and essential living items. That is why we ask the provinces to share and temporarily stop for a few days," said Mr. Long.
In the original plan, Nghe An had 4 centralized quarantine points at the provincial level, with a capacity to receive about 2,000 people. However, recently, the complicated developments of the epidemic have caused many situations outside the scenario. In particular, the number of citizens living in Laos flocking back to their hometowns to avoid the epidemic.
According to the regulations on organizing quarantine for people returning from abroad of the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, citizens entering the country through the border gate of which province, that province will be responsible for receiving and sending them to centralized quarantine in the province. Regardless of which province the person is a citizen of.
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| Concentrated quarantine areas in Nghe An are starting to become overloaded. Photo: Thanh Cuong |
Over the past few days, at Nam Can border gate, there have been an average of 150 citizens returning from Laos every day, including many from other provinces such as Thanh Hoa, Ninh Binh..., and even foreigners. Nghe An province has still ensured timely reception and quarantine.
Meanwhile, to share with other provinces, over the past few days, Nghe An province has also received hundreds of citizens into the centralized quarantine area prepared by Nghe An. Especially since March 17, Nghe An has received an average of 120-150 citizens per day transferred by the Ha Tinh Covid-19 Prevention and Control Steering Committee. These are citizens entering through Cau Treo border gate.
The reception of more citizens from other provinces has put the centralized quarantine areas that Nghe An has prepared at risk of being overloaded. In this situation, on March 20, the Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An province directed the establishment of 3 new quarantine areas in Tuong Duong, Con Cuong, and Ky Son districts. Currently, the authorities are urgently purchasing items such as blankets, household items, etc. to prepare for reception. After these 3 quarantine areas begin operating, Nghe An province will be ready to receive citizens from other provinces to be sent to centralized quarantine.
As of the evening of March 21, Nghe An province is quarantining 1,748 people, an increase of 445 people compared to the previous day. Of these, 784 people are quarantined at home and 83 people are quarantined at the district level. In addition, 871 citizens are being quarantined at the provincial level, an increase of nearly 500 people compared to the previous day.