Hanoi (VNA) - The National Steering Committeefor COVID-19 Prevention and Control on July 29 ordered tightening supervisionover the pandemic in all localities nationwide, with special attention to be givento people who travelled through sites now under lockdown in central Da Nangcity.

Three hospitals in the city - the Da Nang GeneralHospital, Hospital C Da Nang, and the Da Nang Orthopaedic and PhysicalRehabilitation Hospital - pose the highest risk of community transmission, thecommittee said.

Localities such as Hanoi and HCM City, meanwhile, havemany people who have recently been to Da Nang and thus face high risks ofinfection.

Experts recommend that those who have visited the citysince July 1 make health declarations and inform local authorities and medicalagencies.

Any cases detected outside of quarantined areas in DaNang must be sealed off, the committee instructed.

It also agreed to tighten COVID-19 prevention andcontrol regulations, in particular the wearing of face masks in large gatheringsand on public transport and the regular washing of hands with soap, whilewarning people against any unnecessary travel.

Regarding COVID-19 treatment and testing, DeputyMinister of Health Nguyen Truong Son said the ministry will maximise testingcapacity and impose the sorting of patients related to respiratory diseases atmedical facilities and immediately test suspected cases.

The high school graduation exams, Deputy Minister ofEducation and Training Nguyen Huu Do said, will still take place as scheduled, onAugust 9 and 10.

Students will be classified into four groups - F0 (infectedwith COVID-19), F1 (exposed to F0), F2 (exposed to F1), and the others, for theexams, to ensure both epidemic prevention and students’ rights and interests,he added.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will join hands withthe Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Transport in regulating therepatriation of overseas Vietnamese in accordance with the latest situation.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has warnedagainst the holding of festivals, large gatherings and any unnecessary events.

The health ministry reported that, as of July 29morning, Vietnam had 30 cases of community transmission related to the outbreakin Da Nang, the first such cases in more than three months, including 27 in DaNang, two in neighbouring Quang Nam province, and one in nearby Quang Ngaiprovince.

Of the 30 cases, 24 are related to the Da NangHospital.

The national tally now stands at 446, of whom 369(82.7 percent) have recovered. The remainder are being treated at 12 medicalfacilities nationwide./.