UPDATE: May 31
HO CHI MINH CITY (UCAN): Vietnam’s most populous city is set to test all 13 million inhabitants for Covid-19 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infections following an up in community transmissions. The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on May 31. City chairperson, Nguyen Thanh Phong, said during an emergency meeting on May 30, said that a mass testing programme would see 100,000 people testing every day, SCMPreported, citing the online newspaper, VnExpress.
Vietnam’s health ministry said on May 29 that it had detected a new Covid-19 variant with characteristics from the virus strains originating in Britain and India.
The move to test followed earlier news that religious activities had been suspended in the Archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, as health authorities reported six new infections in four days leading up to May 21, three of which were the dangerous Indian or UK strains, detected for the first time in the city. Over 6,000 people who had contact with the patients have been tested.
On May 22, Father Peter Kieu Cong Tung, the archdiocesan chancellor, asked all parishes to suspend services until further notice.
Father Kieu called on priests to celebrate daily Masses for the world to overcome the pandemic. Services must be limited to 20 people or less, and socially distanced. Masses would also be livestreamed from Notre Dame Cathedral via the archdiocese’s website.
Duong Anh Duc, the vice chairperson of the People’s Committee in Ho Chi Minh City, had ordered all entertainment and sports centres, massage parlours, theaters, movie houses, bars, karaoke bars, discos and public Internet to close beginning on May 22.
Small restaurants are asked to provide take out food, while hotel restaurants are limited to serving 20 people at one time. People are asked to maintain social distancing and steer clear of gatherings on streets, in parks and at other public places.
Duong said churches, pagodas, temples and other religious places must suspend all services and activities with attendances of 20 people and above. Earlier, religious places had been allowed to hold services at low attendances of half capacity.
Father Kieu asked people to protect community health and that those who have been in Covid-19-hit areas should isolate at home, avoid public places and visit healthcare centres if they suffer respiratory problems.
Father Kieu asked people to protect community health and that those who have been in Covid-19-hit areas should isolate at home, avoid public places and visit healthcare centres if they suffer respiratory problems.
The parish council of Vuon Xoai Parish said all parishioners should obey preventive measures and those who have health problems should not visit the church.
The Mater Unitatis Association sisters in Bac Giang province—one of the epicentres of the new fourth wave of Covid-19 in Vietnam—offered free health care to people who are quarantined at their convent as well as factory workers isolated at their boarding houses.
The nuns also offered health care and testing for people suspected of having Covid-19.
They said pregnant workers and children whose parents work at factories live in small, dingy rooms in hot weather. They are worried about being infected, have no food and some have become jobless as factories closed.
On May 21, provincial officials decided to give 24,000 workers isolated by Covid-19 as per diem of 75,000 dong ($25) within 10 days.
They also asked people to stay home, isolate house from house and not receive any outsiders to contain the pandemic, which has infected 812 people since April 27.
As of May 30, Vietnam reported 4,110 active cases and 47 deaths.
