Hanoi (VNA) – Authorities in Hanoi are ramping upefforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus from Bach Mai Hospital,considered the biggest and most complex hotbed of COVID-19 in Vietnam atpresent, after more than 10 cases linked with this large hospital have been recorded.

In his urgent message issued on late March 28, Chairman ofthe municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung requested district-levellocalities in the city to promptly set up working groups to review andquarantine all inpatients discharged from Bach Mai, outpatients coming to thehospital for check-up and treatment, those visiting or caring for patients, hemodialysispatients of the hospital staying in nearby areas, and other people related tothis hospital since March 10.

Local administrations were also ordered to coordinate withtheir medical centres to take specimens from persons subject to testing.

In particular, people who are caring for their relativesunder treatment there will be sent to the city’s concentrated quarantinefacilities under Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam’s direction at a meetingearlier on the same day.

At this meeting, the Deputy PM said the People’s Committeeof Hanoi has been working closely with the Ministry of Health to direct BachMai Hospital carry out necessary measures.

However, not only Hanoi but all relevant provinces and cities need to take more drastic actions,he said, stressing that all forces must coordinate together closely and synchronouslyto stamp out this hotbed.

Other participants in the meeting shared the view that BachMai Hospital is currently the biggest and most complex hotbed of COVID-19 inthe country at present. Therefore, it is necessary to promptly review and quarantineall people coming to and leaving this hospital to prevent the coronavirus fromspreading to the community.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son said all medicalworkers, other employees and patients at the hospital have been quarantined andhave specimens taken for testing. However, as Bach Mai is a major hospital withthe flow of people reaching 10,000 – 15,000 each day, infection risks may comefrom visitors and outpatients, aside from inpatients and medical staff.

Meanwhile, Tran Dac Phu, adviser to Vietnam’s public healthemergency operations centre, pointed out that staff of companies supplyingservices for Bach Mai Hospital could also be a source of virus transmission,noting several employees of such a company have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.

Experts are also investigating professional caregivers whocould be another potential source, he added.

Phu warned about high risks of virus transmission from workersof service providing companies and professional caregivers since they move tomany medical establishments, asking not only Bach Mai but also other hospitalsto pay special attention to these groups.

In efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19, the DefenceMinistry’s arm of chemical warfare sent soldiers to disinfect the whole BachMai Hospital on late March 28./.