COVID-19 cases skyrocket, Bac Giang hotspot appeals for help

The northern province of Bac Giang, a gateway to Hanoi capital, has appealed for assistance from the Ministry of Health and other localities as caseload constantly breaks its daily record figure.

Ninety-eight cases have been confirmed in Bac Giang during the past 12 hours, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in its 06.00hrs update on May 16.

Most of the cases were detected at Hosiden Vietnam Co. Ltd., an electronic parts supplier at Quang Chau industrial park.

Similarly, 95 cases were also announced on May 15 evening by the MoH, and they were all employees of Hosiden.

With hundreds of cases found at Hosiden, the Bac Giang administration has called for immediate assistance from the MoH and other localities.

At an emergency meeting overnight on May 15 with MoH leaders, Le Anh Duong, head of the provincial administration, said that despite Bac Giang’s swift contact tracing and massive testing efforts, the number of infections at Hosiden has increased significantly every hour.

Bac Giang has limited experience in responding to the outbreak at industrial parks, admitted Duong, adding the enhanced testing capacity has yet to meet the actual need.

Meanwhile, Duong Van Thai, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee proposed that the MoH send experts to assist the province with quarantine zoning, contact tracing and massive testing.

In addition, he called for support in upgrading its field hospital and providing additional medical aid, including rapid test kits and biological chemicals.

In response, Quang Ninh, Hai Duong and Military Hospital 110 have dispatched healthcare workers to Bac Giang.

A contingent of professionals of the MoH has also fanned out to Bac Giang to assist the locality with contact tracing and testing.

Bac Giang has recorded more than 314 for the past few days and the figure is expected to keep rising in the coming days.