Request to clarify the source of infection at the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases

According to Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen, the hospital will apply isolation measures until May 19, during which time no other patients will be admitted for treatment. He said that through screening and monitoring, "a number of cases of infection in the hospital were discovered originating from patients being treated here."

He harshly demanded that the leaders of the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases answer four questions. That is, clearly report the epidemiological investigation, where did the staff get infected? After the discovery, what did the hospital do internally to prevent the epidemic? Did the hospital continue to admit and treat Covid-19 patients? How did they ensure that medical staff had food and rest during the quarantine period?

The Ministry of Health's leaders also asked Hanoi to identify "this as the city's epidemic hotspot, and work with the Ministry to focus on handling it thoroughly."

With more than 800 medical staff and patients quarantined, in case the hospital does not have enough space, Deputy Minister Tuyen suggested that a separate hotel could be proposed for quarantine, with shuttle buses, similar to what Bach Mai Hospital did during the epidemic in March 2020. He stated that during the lockdown period, the hospital's leadership must regularly report to the city and the Ministry of Health on the situation, including difficulties in necessities, security, etc.

Dr. Pham Ngoc Thach, Director of the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, said the facility is treating 101 Covid-19 cases. Since the outbreak of community transmission on April 29, patients from Ha Nam and Vinh Phuc provinces have been transferred here, causing medical staff to be "somewhat overloaded in serving patients."

For now, the Hospital has notified all medical staff to gather on-site and review all staff and patients treated during the past time.

The National Hospital for Tropical Diseases (Dong Anh branch) was locked down on the afternoon of May 5, nearly a day after Hanoi discovered a Covid-19 case, a male doctor working at this hospital. He was on a business trip abroad and tested positive for nCoV. Medical staff traced the doctor's F1 contacts in Dong Anh, Ba Dinh, Dong Da, Tay Ho, and Hoang Mai districts.

By this afternoon, out of more than 800 samples taken at the hospital, more than 300 samples had results with 14 positive cases, including two medical staff, 8 patients being treated for other diseases in the hospital, and 4 patients' relatives. Sample testing is continuing, with results expected this afternoon.

The Central Tropical Hospital has two facilities in Kim Chung Commune, Dong Anh and on Giai Phong Street. It is the highest level to receive, examine, provide emergency care, treat and rehabilitate patients with infectious and tropical diseases sent from other levels. During the recent epidemic, the Central Tropical Hospital was the place to receive hundreds of patients (mainly from the North) for treatment. In some provinces with complicated epidemic situations such as Da Nang and Hai Duong, the hospital sent experts, doctors and supporting machines.