`Patient 2857` was recorded on the afternoon of April 27, and was determined to have Covid-19 due to close contact with a group of Indian experts quarantined at Nhu Nguyet 2 Hotel in Yen Bai City.
It is unclear under what circumstances `patient 2857` was infected, nor is it clear how many people came into contact with this patient.
Director of Yen Bai Department of Health Le Thi Hong Van said that 7 people in the Indian expert group had negative initial test results, and a health worker who was in contact, is continuing to be quarantined.
The Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology and the Central Tropical Diseases Hospital are sequencing their genes to determine whether they are infected with the Indian B.1617 variant.
Working with the Yen Bai Department of Health on April 28, Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan requested widespread testing including relatives, medical staff, hotel staff, and contacts.
Ms. Van said that in the area, there are 4 hotels designated as quarantine areas for foreigners, including: Nhu Nguyet 3, Nhu Nguyet 2, Phuong Thuy, Truong Son Guest House.
Hotel staff for concentrated quarantine of immigrants are trained by the Yen Bai Department of Health on infection prevention and quarantine procedures at the hotel.
In addition, the province also has two centralized quarantine areas, Regiment 121 and Nghia Lo Farm Town General Clinic.
Nhu Nguyet 2 Hotel in Yen Bai is a place to quarantine people entering the country.
According to Ms. Van, three very important stages in controlling experts entering the country are the process of reviewing documents allowing foreign experts to work, the quarantine process, and the management of experts after centralized quarantine.
Experts are quarantined for 14 days, and when the test results are negative, they will return to their work unit.
Ms. Vu Thi Hien Hanh, Vice Chairwoman of Yen Bai Provincial People’s Committee, said: `If the epidemic spreads from the centralized quarantine area to the community, the main responsibility belongs to the Director of the Department of Health and the Director of the Provincial Police.`
The Deputy Minister of Health requested the Yen Bai health sector to increase Covid-19 testing capacity and prepare full equipment such as ventilators and oxygen machines to respond to epidemic situations.
According to Ms. Hanh, in case the epidemic spreads, the province will open more concentrated quarantine areas 3 and 4 at Yen Bai Vocational College and Western Boarding High School, Nghia Lo town.
Ms. Hanh also said that Yen Bai will limit the organization of unnecessary events and activities with large gatherings of people during April 30-May 1.
Le Nga
