More than 15,000 people linked to Hanoi hospital test negative for Covid-19

More than 1,000 staff of Hanoi-based Bach Mai Hospital and about 14,000 related people have tested negative for Covid-19 from one to three times, VnExpress quoted Director of the Hanoi Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Nguyen Nhat Cam as saying at a meeting on April 8.

Cam said that the Hanoi CDC took a total of 15,400 samples, of which more than 3,100 samples were taken from Bach Mai Hospital and other above 12,000 were taken in the surroundings of the hospital.

The Hanoi CDC takes samples to quickly test people liked to Bach Mai Hospital. Photo: Giang Huy

The Hanoi CDC director has asked district authorities to continue to review cases related to Bach Mai Hospital to put them under quarantine and for them to be tested for Covid-19.

For his part, Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chung said that after Bach Mai Hospital was under lockdown for 10 days and with the above-mentioned mass testing results, it can be said that the outbreak at the hospital is under control.

Chung proposed keeping reviewing and testing 9,000 outpatients related to Bach Mai Hospital. Besides, the city government is also verifying the number of motorbike taxis and taxis that picked up passengers at the hospital in March.

Earlier, on April 3, the Hanoi mayor asked to fine people who go out without justifiable purposes during the nationwide stay-at-home period and said the punishment has legal foundation. People have to stay home except for emergency cases and for purchasing essential goods.

The city police are asked to strictly enforce the stay-at-home directive and so far hundreds of citizens have been reminded and fined.

Hanoi began rapid Covid-19 testing on March 31. Quick test kits made in South Korea have been used at the booths and they will show results after 10 minutes analyzing blood samples.

As of April 9, Hanoi reported 102 infection cases, of which 48 have been cured and 54 are under treatment.