SARS-CoV-2 in Vietnam now genetically modified and highly contagious

The recently-detected SAR-CoV-2 virus in Vietnam, possibly imported from foreign countries since the beginning of July, is different from the previous five strains and its source remains unknown, Vietnam Television quoted Acting Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long as saying at a meeting on July 27.

An isolation area in Danang General Hospital. Photo: Lam Ngoc

Acting Minister Long informed that the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology had analyzed and sequenced the SARS-CoV-2 virus gene on samples of newly-infected patients.

The Ministry of Health has closely monitored the evolution of Covid-19 in the resort city of Danang. Besides practicing social distancing citywide from July 26, the Ministry of Health and the city agreed to isolate General Hospital, Obstetrics C Hospital, the Rehabilitation Hospital that pose high risk of Covid-19 transmission.

The ministry has recommended that those who have been to Danang since July 1 make medical declarations, self-quanrantine at home and inform relevant authorities of their travel history.

Regarding medical treatment, Long said that Hue Central Hospital would be mobilized for treating Covid-19 patients if necessary.

For his part, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam emphasized that the prevention and control of the Covid-19 pandemic is not only Danang city’s responsibility but of all other localities across the country. In particular, health facilities must strictly enforce regulations on protection and segregation of patients for medical examination, including private clinics.

Besides, the deputy PM asked the Ministry of Health to strengthen training and testing of different test kits manufactured by Vietnam.

Dam also asked the Ministry of Public Security to check all foreigners and priority will be given to testing for antibodies on these people.

At the meeting, experts said that Danang Hospital transferred 1,700 serum samples of the hospital’s medical staff for testing by a new made-in-Vietnam test kit on the Elisa system (method testing on the system of machines and equipment available at health facilities at the district level).

It is expected that on July 27, two thousand samples would be collected from Danang Obstetrics C Hospital and Danang Rehabilitation Hospital. The results of about 4,000 laboratory samples of Danang's health workers will be announced on July 28. In addition, the health sector will collect 10,000 blood samples from the community for testing.