Vietnam appears to have managed second Covid-19 outbreak successfully

Vietnam-

Vietnam recorded only two cases of Covid-19 today, Wednesday, September 2nd and one of those cases was imported from overseas.

Additionally, the one locally spread case, located in Hai Duong, was the first locally spread case found after four days following extensive testing and tracing related to a second outbreak that had started in Da Nang in late July.

Vietnam has had a national Covid-19 tally of 1,046 and 746 have recovered. There have been 691 community transmission cases, 550 of them recorded since July 25, linked to Da Nang City.

Vietnam managed to control the second outbreak, according to health officials, primarily through an intense tracing system, widespread testing and strict quarantining and a tough lock-down of Da Nang that included domestic travel restrictions and closure of all but essential businesses. Over two people constituted a gathering and authorities were heavily enforcing the rules. The majority of the outbreaks, according to officials, took place within hospitals and among patients and hospital staff.

Vietnam has lost 34 lives aged 28-93 to the pandemic, all of them suffering from pre-existing conditions said health officials. Over 66,000 people remain in quarantine currently or under strict restrictions as the government continues mass testing and aims to slowly loosen regulations and lock-downs related to the second outbreak. Prior to the outbreak, Vietnam had returned, much like Thailand now, nearly entirely to normal. The country did not lock-down as an entire country for the second outbreak, although there were high risk business closures such as bars and nightlife out of precaution. Only areas where the outbreak had taken place, like Da Nang, were heavily locked down.

Health officials in Vietnam are still being cautious, but optimistic, that the second outbreak has been mostly brought under control and may once again be on the verge of elimination. The exact source of the second outbreak was never identified but was believed to be someone crossing the border illegally from another country, said health officials.

Thailand, meanwhile, continues to be on guard against potential illegal border crossings from their neighbors, such as Myanmar, which is having a fresh outbreak in the Rakhine state and Yangon.

Picture is a stock photo of Covid-19 related measures in Thailand.