Vietnam told tens of thousands of people who visited a central city to report to disease control centres on Thursday, as nine new coronavirus cases were confirmed and the country scrambled to contain its first outbreak in over three months.
The health ministry sent text messages to all mobile phone users among the country's 95 million people urging anyone who visited Danang from July 1 to come forward, after a new wave of the virus spread to at least six cities and provinces in six days, all linked to Danang.
Hanoi's ruling body on Thursday said mass testing would be carried out until Saturday among thousands of residents who recently returned from Danang, a popular holiday getaway that has been a big draw since restrictions were eased.
The response to the Danang outbreak is in line with a centralised quarantine programme and aggressive contact-tracing system that has seen Vietnam lauded for keeping its coronavirus tally to just a few hundred cases, with no fatalities.
Hanoi banned large gatherings and ordered bars closed from midnight Wednesday and its chairman Nguyen Duc Chung declared the city must "act now and act fast".
"We have to use full force to test all 21,063 returnees," Chung said on Thursday.
"All must be done in three days."
Nine new cases were reported on Thursday, taking total infections to 42 since the virus resurfaced at the weekend, ending a run of 99 days without community transmission. Vietnam has recorded 459 cases overall.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has told tourist areas to step up vigilance and imposed a strict lockdown in Danang, where flights have been halted for 15 days.
The coastal city has been inundated with visitors taking advantage of promotions to revitalise a tourism sector hurt by border closures and international flight bans designed to keep the virus out.
The current wave is traced to Danang, but the source is unclear. The health ministry said one case, an American, had reported symptoms as far back as June 26.
Reuters
Thu Jul 30 2020
A health worker in a white protective suit sprays disinfectant at Vietnamese construction workers infected with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), upon their arrival at the tropical diseases hospital. Photo/REUTERS
The Hardest Singing Show cabar kreativiti penyanyi tempatan
Program The Hardest Singing Show mencari satu juara yang mampu menyahut cabaran kreativiti luar limitasi.
Pekerja Ahli Parlimen EU disyaki jadi pengintip China
Polis Jerman telah menahan seorang pekerja ahli politik Parlimen Eropah Alternative for Germany (AfD) kerana disyaki menjadi pengintip China.
Amaran ribut hujan tahap tertinggi dikeluarkan di Guangdong, selatan China
Lebih 100,000 orang sudah dipindahkan akibat hujan lebat dan banjir yang boleh membawa maut di selatan China.
Jokowi dan anaknya bukan lagi ahli PDIP
Presiden Indonesia Joko Widodo atau Jokowi dan anaknya, bakal naib presiden Gibran Rakabuming Raka, bukan lagi ahli parti terbesar negara itu selepas mereka menyokong calon pesaing yang juga pemenang pilihan raya Prabowo Subianto.
Lima migran maut ketika cuba memasuki Perancis
Lima termasuk seorang kanak-kanak, maut dalam cubaan menyeberangi Selat Inggeris dari Perancis pada Selasa.
Polis New York lakukan penahanan himpunan lewat malam
Polis New York bertindak melakukan penahanan membabitkan peserta yang terlibat dalam himpunan solidariti terhadap Palestin di Universiti New York (NYU) pada lewat malam Isnin. Penahanan itu dibuat selepas mereka didakwa mengingkari arahan amaran pihak universiti untuk bersurai dan mengosongkan plaza yang menjadi tempat mereka berkumpul.
Break The Siege: Ada kemungkinan lokasi pelepasan kapal ditukar
Jawatankuasa Pemandu Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), Kamarul Zaman Shaharul Anwar memaklumkan, wujud kemungkinan lokasi pelabuhan bagi pelepasan kapal yang terlibat dalam misi Break the Siege of Gaza Freedom Flotilla ditukar.
Benarkan syarikat milik bukan Islam cetak Al-Quran, pengarah syarikat didenda
Seorang pengarah syarikat percetakan dijatuhi hukuman denda RM8,000 atau penjara lima bulan oleh Mahkamah Majistret Petaling Jaya pada Selasa selepas mengaku salah tidak mematuhi syarat-syarat lesen untuk mencetak atau menerbitkan Teks al-Quran, bulan lepas.
DAP umum calon pada Rabu
DAP senarai pendek 10 calon PRK DUN Kuala Kubu Baharu, nama terpilih diumum esok.
Suspek dituduh di Mahkamah Kota Bharu pada Rabu
Suspek lelaki yang terlibat kes tembak di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur, Terminal 1, pada 14 April lepas, akan dituduh di Mahkamah Kota Bharu Kelantan pada Rabu.