{"id":5758,"date":"2021-02-19T15:47:49","date_gmt":"2021-02-19T07:47:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/?p=5758"},"modified":"2021-02-23T17:08:09","modified_gmt":"2021-02-23T09:08:09","slug":"hai-duong-covid-19-outbreak","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/hai-duong-covid-19-outbreak\/","title":{"rendered":"H\u1ea3i D\u01b0\u01a1ng Province Is A New COVID-19 Outbreak Center, All Its Districts & Cities Have Positive Cases"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hai Duong Province becomes Vietnam’s COVID-19 outbreak center<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Earlier this month, Saigon emerged as an unexpected COVID-19 hotspot when numerous staff members at Tan Son Nhat International Airport were infected with A.23.1., a new SARS-CoV-2 virus strain. After weeks of fighting COVID-19 through strict localized quarantines and social distancing measures, Saigon has not been recording any new cases in the community for the past week.<\/span><\/p>\n

As a result, COVID-19 medical experts dispatched to the city earlier this month have been assigned to Hai Duong Province<\/strong> in the north, the new center of Vietnam’s COVID-19 outbreak.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Hai Duong Province saw new 18 COVID-19 cases<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\"Hai
\nA quarantined neighborhood in Hai Duong Province<\/em>
\nImage adapted from: <\/span>Vietnamnet<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

On 18th February, Hai Duong Province recorded new 18 COVID-19 cases, 15 people out of whom had been quarantined earlier. As of the remaining cases, 1 was a resident in the quarantine zone, 1 was confirmed positive after a COVID-19 screening test at a medical center, and the other one was found in the community.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"COVID-19
\nHanoi is ramping up COVID-19 testing on all Hai Duong Province returnees<\/em>
\nImage adapted from: <\/span>Bao Moi<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The new hike in COVID-19 cases has brought the country’s total to 2,347 cases. So far, 1,605 COVID-19 patients have recovered and been discharged, while 703 patients are still in treatment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Hai Duong returnees encounter difficulties leaving the province\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\"Hai
\nPoliceman checking IDs of people departing from Hai Duong Province<\/em>
\nImage adapted from: <\/span>Vietnamnet<\/a><\/span><\/em>
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\nWith its first COVID-19 clusters having erupted in January 2021 at the same time as Quang Ninh Province and earlier than Saigon\u2019s, Hai Duong Province’s efforts in battling the COVID-19 outbreak have yet to bear fruit. While its neighbor Quang Ninh has successfully kept its COVID-19 situation in check despite initial double-digit increases daily, Hai Duong Province’s pandemic crisis drags on.\u00a0<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

As of 16th February, COVID-19 infections had spread to all 12 cities of Hai Duong Province, with the total number of confirmed cases surpassing the 520 mark.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"COVID-19
\nHai Duong Province\u2019s borders with other provinces are closed<\/em>
\nImage adapted from: <\/span>Vietnamnet<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

To reduce the risks of infection, its neighbors such as Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, and Bac Ninh have suspended all transportation to and from Hai Duong Province.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"COVID-19
\nPeople rushing out of Hai Duong Province before the social distancing rule took effect<\/em>
\nImage adapted from: <\/span>Vietnamnet<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Hanoi, on the other hand, has decided to let people returning from Hai Duong Province into the capital city on the condition that every returnee must make health declarations and quarantine for at least 14 days.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"TSN
\nTesting at Tan Son Nhat International Airport<\/em>
\nImage credit: <\/span>Thanh Nien<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s largest metropolis, has stated that it shall send all Hai Duong Province returnees to concentrated quarantine facilities for thorough monitoring and treatment, so that it can keep any risks of COVID-19 infection at bay.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These decisive preventive responses, though meant for safety reasons, have sparked heated debates online. Many people, especially those in Hai Duong Province, condemn these measures as discriminatory and that authorities should decide who\u2019s allowed to enter the big city based on COVID-19 test results instead of ID cards or travel history alone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"comment
\nImage credit: Lu\u1eadt Vi\u1ec7t Nam<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

In a post on a Facebook group Lu\u1eadt Vi\u1ec7t Nam<\/a> announcing Bac Ninh Province\u2019s decision to ban Hai Duong Province residents from entering, Facebook user Thi\u1ec1u Hoa <\/a>commented, \u201cThey [local authorities] should make decisions based on COVID-19 test results instead of discriminating against people.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\nImage credit: Lu\u1eadt Vi\u1ec7t Nam<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t put our public health at risk,\u201d Facebook user<\/span> Piece of Cake<\/span><\/a> responded to Thi\u1ec1u Hoa\u2019s question about the fairness of Bac Ninh Province\u2019s decision.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many netizens have also expressed dissent with Hai Duong Province\u2019s slow response to the earlier outbreaks, saying that the mandatory social distancing measure that has taken effect from 15th February onwards was actually long overdue.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Hai Duong Province authorities criticized for their COVID-19 response<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\"Hai
\nHai Duong Province leaders visiting the clusters<\/em>
\nImage credit: <\/span>Nguoi Lao Dong<\/a><\/span><\/em>
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\nFacing mounting pressure over their delayed COVID-19 response, Hai Duong Province\u2019s leader Pham Xuan Thang pointed out that this was the first time the city had encountered a medical crisis of such a great magnitude and thus, the authorities couldn’t devise a more timely response.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Hai
\nWorkers in Tan Truong Industrial Park in Cam Giang waiting for their test results<\/em>
\nImage credit: <\/span>Bao Moi<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The daily surge in numbers can be attributed to the high number of workers in various industrial parks, which include Hai Duong Province’s largest COVID-19 clusters, and that are adjacent to residential areas.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Hai
\nCOVID-19 testing in another industrial park<\/em>
\nImage credit: <\/span>Nguoi Lao Dong<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

To remedy the situation, Hai Duong Province has enhanced its COVID-19 testing response and applied social distancing measures across the whole province.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“We believe that if we can snuff out the coronavirus in Cam Giang, Hai Duong Province’s most complex COVID-19 cluster, we can flatten the curve in the entire province,” Hai Duong Province leader Pham Xuan Thang said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Moving towards the new normal with caution<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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It’s been a year since the COVID-19 crisis made its way into our country, yet it\u2019s not showing any sign of ending yet. We don’t know how long the crisis will stretch, so we need to learn to live with COVID-19 in our midst and act responsibly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Discrimination against people returning from COVID-19 clusters won\u2019t help at this point, but in fact would only worsen the situation and divide the community.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to making honest health declarations after returning from COVID-19 flashpoints, let’s keep ourselves and our community safe by masking up in public and avoiding large gatherings. It might be a long time until we can return to life like in the pre-pandemic days, but we can move into the new normal<\/a> with precautions and optimism.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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