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Mekong Delta provinces want 15-day suspension for people returning from COVID-19 hit localities

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Thousands of people returning to their hometowns in the Mekong Delta blocked traffic for hours recently on National Highway No 1A section between HCM City and Long An Province. — VNA/ Photo Mạnh Linh

MEKONG DELTA — Authorities in 13 provinces and cities in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta have asked the Government’s COVID-19 special working group to not allow people to return to their hometowns via motorbike from other provinces and cities for 15 days. 

Trần Văn Lâu, chairman of Sóc Trăng Province’s People’s Committee, said he and leaders of 12 other localities would prepare all necessary conditions such as vehicles and facilities to welcome people returning from other localities, including COVID-19 hit localities.

The number of people returning to their homes in Sóc Trăng from other provinces due to COVID-19 has increased over the past few days.

On Saturday (October 2), there were around 20,000 people flocking to the province. Nearly 30,000 people have been reported so far. The number is forecast to increase in the coming days.

“The province’s capacity is not able to receive a large number of people at the same time,” Lâu said.

The people who have returned have been tested for COVID-19, and led to their hometowns and forced to follow quarantine requirements under the Ministry of Health’s recommendations.

Local schools are being used as temporary isolation facilities.

Along with the local budget, the province has mobilised all social resources available to provide meals for people in the centralised isolation facilities.

Nguyễn Thị Quyên Thanh, deputy chairwoman of Vĩnh Long Province’s People’s Committee, said about 2,000 people have returned to the province from other localities.

“There is still a high risk of an outbreak in the community if people return to areas without plans for strict pandemic prevention and control by local authorities,” she said.

Another risk is the low vaccination rate in provinces and cities in the delta.

Vĩnh Long has more than 600,000 people aged 18 and over who have not received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and more than 250,000 people who missed their scheduled time to get the second dose.

Thanh has asked the Government to prioritise vaccines for localities in Mekong Delta to ensure vaccination coverage.

Huỳnh Quốc Việt, chairman of Cà Mau Province’s People’s Committee, said the province has recorded more than 1,200 people returning from other localities.

The province faces difficulties because of a lack of facilities, medical equipment and limited financial resources to meet the needs of isolation and treatment for the large number of people.

The vaccination rate in the province remains low at about 13.9 per cent, “so the risk of a possible outbreak is very high,” Việt said.

Coordination is needed between localities to agree on plans ensuring safety for people to return to their hometowns, he said.

Nguyễn Thanh Bình, chairman of An Giang Province’s People’s Committee, said the pandemic situation in the province is very complicated with increasing number of community cases and new outbreaks.

The concentrated isolation areas and treatment facilities are being overloaded. The rate of adults receiving the first vaccine dose is only 21 per cent and the second dose is 7.5 per cent.

About 10,000 people returned on October 2 evening, and more than 15,000 people the next day.

About 700 schools are being used as concentrated isolation facilities or a place to receive assistance to return home.

“People flocking to the province are putting great pressure on local medical facilities and quarantine areas,” he said.

Through testing, dozens of COVID-19 positive cases were detected among people who returned to the province on October 1.

“The delta could quickly turn into red zone (very high-risk area) if the travel of people continues in an uncontrolled situation,” he said.

Other provinces like Đồng Tháp, Bạc Liêu, Hậu Giang and Bến Tre have received about 20,000 people, 7,000 people, 3,000 people and 2,000 people, respectively.

They have also set up local schools as temporary isolation areas for people who have returned home due to COVID-19.

The Mekong Delta consists of Cần Thơ City and the 12 provinces of Long An, Tiền Giang, Bến Tre, Đồng Tháp, Vĩnh Long, Trà Vinh,  An Giang, Hậu Giang, Sóc Trăng, Kiên Giang, Bạc Liêu and Cà Mau. —

Source: https://vietnamnews.vn/society/1052628/mekong-delta-provinces-want-15-day-suspension-for-people-returning-from-covid-19-hit-localities.html

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Ho Chi Minh City detects cluster of 20 H1N1 cases

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The Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) announced on Wednesday that the city had just discovered a cluster of H1N1 cases in District 10, leading 20 students at an elementary school to take unscheduled sick leave.

A report from the Medical Center of District 10 to the HCDC on March 16 showed an abnormal increase in the number of students taking sick leave at Vo Truong Toan Elementary School on the same day and the day before.

A total of 20 students of the school became ill with symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, and vomiting during the two days.

Some students had a fever of up to 39 degrees Celsius.

Doctors initially determined that the children suffered from a flu and randomly took six samples of them and sent them to the Pasteur Institute in the city to test for influenza. 

On March 17, the results showed that all of the samples returned positive for H1N1 influenza, also known as swine flu. 

Since March 17, the school has not recorded any new cases of similar symptoms.

The HCDC surveillance data showed that the city has detected clusters of respiratory illnesses at different schools in Binh Thanh District since the beginning of this year.

The clusters were suppressed early to limit the spread.

Health authorities have warned people of respiratory illnesses during this season and have recommended paying attention to children and flu vaccinations.

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The Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) announced on Wednesday that the city had just discovered a cluster of H1N1 cases in District 10, leading 20 students at an elementary school to take unscheduled sick leave.

A report from the Medical Center of District 10 to the HCDC on March 16 showed an abnormal increase in the number of students taking sick leave at Vo Truong Toan Elementary School on the same day and the day before.

A total of 20 students of the school became ill with symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, and vomiting during the two days.

Some students had a fever of up to 39 degrees Celsius.

Doctors initially determined that the children suffered from a flu and randomly took six samples of them and sent them to the Pasteur Institute in the city to test for influenza. 

On March 17, the results showed that all of the samples returned positive for H1N1 influenza, also known as swine flu. 

Since March 17, the school has not recorded any new cases of similar symptoms.

The HCDC surveillance data showed that the city has detected clusters of respiratory illnesses at different schools in Binh Thanh District since the beginning of this year.

The clusters were suppressed early to limit the spread.

Health authorities have warned people of respiratory illnesses during this season and have recommended paying attention to children and flu vaccinations.

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Source: https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/society/20230323/ho-chi-minh-city-detects-cluster-of-20-h1n1-cases/72231.html

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AusCham-given ambulance ship left idle for 7 months in southern Vietnam

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An ambulance boat that the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (AusCham) gave to Phung Hiep District, Hau Giang Province, southern Vietnam in August last year has yet to be put to use.

Dong Hoang Tho, director of the Phung Hiep Medical Center, on Wednesday said that the boat has been left to sit due to the fact that there is currently no captain, though someone has just been appointed to the position and is now enrolled in a ship piloting course.

Tho added the ambulance boat is expected to be used during the flooding season.

AusCham in August handed over the ambulance boat to the Phung Hiep People’s Committee in order to help transport patients, especially those living in hard-to-reach neighborhoods, to safety.

The boat worth VND700 million (US$29,668) is 5.4 meters long and can carry four people at a time.

It is Hau Giang’s first ambulance boat.

Tran Khong Dan, vice-chairman of the Phung Hiep People’s Committee, told Tien Phong (Youth) newspaper that the boat has not needed to be used yet because most patients in need of emergency care have been accessible by ambulance. 

Dan also noted that there is currently no captain for the boat.

The district plans to put the ambulance boat to use soon, Dan added.

Regarding the possibility of giving the ambulance boat to another locality in need of the vehicle, Ho Thu Anh, vice-chairwoman of the People’s Committee of Hau Giang, said the province will discuss the idea with the district authorities.

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An ambulance boat that the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (AusCham) gave to Phung Hiep District, Hau Giang Province, southern Vietnam in August last year has yet to be put to use.

Dong Hoang Tho, director of the Phung Hiep Medical Center, on Wednesday said that the boat has been left to sit due to the fact that there is currently no captain, though someone has just been appointed to the position and is now enrolled in a ship piloting course.

Tho added the ambulance boat is expected to be used during the flooding season.

AusCham in August handed over the ambulance boat to the Phung Hiep People’s Committee in order to help transport patients, especially those living in hard-to-reach neighborhoods, to safety.

The boat worth VND700 million (US$29,668) is 5.4 meters long and can carry four people at a time.

It is Hau Giang’s first ambulance boat.

Tran Khong Dan, vice-chairman of the Phung Hiep People’s Committee, told Tien Phong (Youth) newspaper that the boat has not needed to be used yet because most patients in need of emergency care have been accessible by ambulance. 

Dan also noted that there is currently no captain for the boat.

The district plans to put the ambulance boat to use soon, Dan added.

Regarding the possibility of giving the ambulance boat to another locality in need of the vehicle, Ho Thu Anh, vice-chairwoman of the People’s Committee of Hau Giang, said the province will discuss the idea with the district authorities.

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Source: https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/society/20230323/auschamgiven-ambulance-ship-left-idle-for-7-months-in-southern-vietnam/72222.html

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Chickenpox outbreak spreads in Hanoi

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Hanoi has logged 548 new cases of chickenpox so far this year, with the most recent 70 infections recorded just this week, according to statistics from the Hanoi Center for Disease Control (CDC).

There have been no deaths linked to the ongoing outbreak.

Chickenpox is on the rise compared to last year, and many of the patients are preschool and elementary school students, which respectively account for 36.5 percent and 38 percent of the total infections.

So far, 18 out of Hanoi’s 30 districts have been affected by the outbreak, with Chuong My, Me Linh, Ba Vi, and Nam Tu Liem Districts having each detected over 30 cases.

In the outlying district of Chuong My, the local medical center had reported five clusters of 237 chickenpox cases as of March 21.

In Ho Chi Minh City, children’s hospitals citywide said that they have recorded normal rates of hospital admissions and treatment linked to chickenpox.

However, as chickenpox cases tend to surge between February and June, parents should ensure their children are vaccinated and that their children’s play areas are kept clean. 

Chickenpox cases could continue their upward trend over the next several weeks as Hanoi eases into spring, according to the Hanoi CDC, which also stated that local citizens should be aware that other infectious respiratory diseases such as the flu, measles, and whooping cough typically spread during this time of year.

Chickenpox is a contagious disease caused by varicella-zoster virus and can affect people of all ages.

It is typically spread from person to person via direct contact. It can also be spread through saliva and daily practices, like sharing utensils.

It takes 7-21 days after exposure to the virus for someone to develop symptoms of chickenpox, which include a mild fever, runny nose, cough, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, and an itchy red rash which covers the body with fluid-filled blisters.

Healthcare specialists advise chickenpox patients to take a bath as normal, regularly wash their hands with soap, refrain from sharing utensils with others, and keep their houses and workplaces clean.

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Hanoi has logged 548 new cases of chickenpox so far this year, with the most recent 70 infections recorded just this week, according to statistics from the Hanoi Center for Disease Control (CDC).

There have been no deaths linked to the ongoing outbreak.

Chickenpox is on the rise compared to last year, and many of the patients are preschool and elementary school students, which respectively account for 36.5 percent and 38 percent of the total infections.

So far, 18 out of Hanoi’s 30 districts have been affected by the outbreak, with Chuong My, Me Linh, Ba Vi, and Nam Tu Liem Districts having each detected over 30 cases.

In the outlying district of Chuong My, the local medical center had reported five clusters of 237 chickenpox cases as of March 21.

In Ho Chi Minh City, children’s hospitals citywide said that they have recorded normal rates of hospital admissions and treatment linked to chickenpox.

However, as chickenpox cases tend to surge between February and June, parents should ensure their children are vaccinated and that their children’s play areas are kept clean. 

Chickenpox cases could continue their upward trend over the next several weeks as Hanoi eases into spring, according to the Hanoi CDC, which also stated that local citizens should be aware that other infectious respiratory diseases such as the flu, measles, and whooping cough typically spread during this time of year.

Chickenpox is a contagious disease caused by varicella-zoster virus and can affect people of all ages.

It is typically spread from person to person via direct contact. It can also be spread through saliva and daily practices, like sharing utensils.

It takes 7-21 days after exposure to the virus for someone to develop symptoms of chickenpox, which include a mild fever, runny nose, cough, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, and an itchy red rash which covers the body with fluid-filled blisters.

Healthcare specialists advise chickenpox patients to take a bath as normal, regularly wash their hands with soap, refrain from sharing utensils with others, and keep their houses and workplaces clean.

Like us on Facebook or  follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!

Source: https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/society/20230323/chickenpox-outbreak-spreads-in-hanoi/72227.html

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