Asia

COVID-19: Vietnam says it has no plans for widespread lockdown

adminAugust 3, 20201 Mins read80 Views

HANOI: Vietnam has no plans for a widespread COVID-19 lockdown and will only put areas considered epicentres under strict quarantine, the government's spokesperson said on Monday (Aug 3).

"We will only implement social distancing in areas considered virus epicentres, and will not pursue a widespread lockdown," Mai Tien Dung told a monthly press conference on Monday.

Dung said selective lockdown measures would allow the government to achieve the dual goals of containing the virus and boosting the economy at the same time.

"If there's an infection in a hamlet, we will lock down that hamlet only, not the whole district or the whole province," he said.

READ: Vietnam coronavirus outbreak hits factories employing thousands in Danang epicentre

On Monday, Vietnam reported 21 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 642.

All of the new cases are linked to Danang, a tourism hot spot where Vietnam's first domestically transmitted case in 100 days was detected on Jul 24.

The source of the new outbreak is unclear but it has spread to at least 10 places, including the capital, Hanoi, and the business hub of Ho Chi Minh City

There have been nearly 200 cases since the virus resurfaced in Danang, with six deaths.

READ: Vietnam says up to 800,000 left COVID-19 epicentre Danang since Jul 1

Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said on Monday that early August would be a decisive period for preventing a large-scale spread of the coronavirus, state broadcaster VTV reported.

"We have to deploy full force to curb all known epicentres, especially those in Danang," VTV quoted Phuc as telling a meeting of government officials.

"Early August will be the decisive time within which to stop the virus from spreading on a large scale."

Phuc said this current wave of infection could have a more "critical impact" than the previous one and ordered officials to both contain the spread and maintain supply chains, the report said.