The content of the dispatch clearly states that in HCMC, a cluster of Covid-19 cases had been found in the community. Although it was quickly controlled, the risk of infiltration and spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the community still lingers, especially when people from other provinces return to the city to work after the Lunar New Year.

To strictly control and ensure maximum safety against Covid-19 for socio-economic activities and the lives of citizens after the Lunar New Year, the municipal People's Committee asked relevant units to continue to raise the Covid-19 alert to the highest level and should not be subjective, and neglect the prevention of the pandemic. They must consider the prevention of the Covid-19 pandemic and infectious diseases as the key task, mobilize, and assign forces to participate in the prevention of the Covid-19 pandemic right from the first days of this year.

All departments, divisions, agencies, and organizations in the city disseminate and direct their units, all affiliated units, and units under their authority to strictly follow the 5K principle of the Ministry of Health in all production, business, and learning activities.

Especially, they must wear face masks, regularly carry out cleaning and disinfection; arrange working processes to ensure a safe distance to prevent the pandemic, not to gather many people but still ensure human resources for operation; seriously and voluntarily make medical declarations if they come back from the Covid-19-hit areas, immediately notify the local authorities and health authorities for guidance on medical supervision and testing following specific instructions of the health sector.

Departments, divisions, and agencies shall direct units, enterprises, and establishments to strictly implement the set of criteria for assessing the safety level of Covid-19 prevention and control in the fields of production and business activities issued by the municipal People's Committee. They must fully deploy disease prevention measures following the handbook "Guide to prevent the Covid-19 pandemic in the community in a new normal" of the Ministry of Health.

In concentrated industrial parks, enterprises must have appropriate plans to prevent and control the pandemic when carrying out their production activities. The health sector is assigned to coordinate with the Department of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs to proactively organize testing again for foreign experts who entered the country to work in HCMC.

The People's Committee of Thu Duc City and districts must instruct local police and relevant agencies and units, the People's Committees of wards and communes, and local organizations to actively inspect and mobilize people returning to the city from other provinces and cities within the past 14 days to make medical declarations, contact local health authorities for guidance on medical supervision, and take Covid-19 testing if coming from Covid-19-hit areas.

Besides, the HCMC People's Committee ordered the health sector to deploy the prevention and treatment work in the entire city health system, closely coordinate with the local authorities, mobilize resources to fully prepare facilities, field hospitals, and protective equipment to meet the treatment of all Covid-19 patients.

Authorities must continue to carry out activities to monitor and screen the risk of Covid-19 community transmission; coordinate with mass media to widely announce the monitoring results so that people can understand the situation. Thereby, they will actively and voluntarily participate in preventive measures against the Covid-19 pandemic.

On the morning of February 20, the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HDCD) said that the city health sector is still carrying out the medical declaration, taking samples for testing, and monitoring people from the Covid-19-hit areas in the country to the city after the Lunar New Year.

So far, around 151,435 medical declarations have been received. Around 217 cases are under concentrated isolation, 19 cases isolated at home, and the rest under self-monitoring of health. Around 5,685 samples have been taken randomly for monitoring at airports, bus stations, and train stations. Of which, 4,843 cases are negative, and 842 are waiting for the results.

By the morning of February 20, the number of people being quarantined at concentrated isolation areas was 1,797, and the number of people being isolated at home and accommodation was 1,100.

SGGP

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