Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Health has sent an official dispatchto chairpersons of provincial/municipal People's Committees, directors of provincial/municipal Departments of Health and heads of medical facilities nationwide, asking them to raise the alert against the COVID-19 pandemic to the highest level and actively conduct COVID-19 testingat hospitals.

The document highlights the current serious developments ofthe pandemic, with outbreaks seen in many provinces and cities nationwide as well as patients and medical workers in some hospitals infected with the coronavirus, including its British andIndian variants with “super transmissibility”.  

The ministry ordered the strict implementation of the directions on COVID-19 prevention and control issued by the Prime Minister and theNational Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

With the alert raised to the highest level, plans to cope with any infections detected in hospitals must to be in place, said the dispatch.

Localities detecting domestically-transmitted COVID-19 casesshould conduct testing for all medical workers, patients, and their long-timecaregivers.

By the afternoon of May 7, nine hospitals have been applying medical quarantine after detecting COVID-19 infections within their treatment wards.

The total number of infections in Vietnam stood at 3,137,including 1,731 domestic cases. Of them, 161 cases have been discovered sincethe latest outbreak hit the country on April 27./.