Long made the request at a meeting with authorities in Can Tho City on Covid-19 prevention and control on April 26. He highly appreciated the great efforts made by the city in the fight against Covid-19.
Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long speaks at the meeting in Can Tho Province on April 26.
According to the minister, Vietnam is facing a risk of a fourth Covid-19 wave, particularly south-eastern localities which border Cambodia.
“It is quite difficult to control illegal migrants, particularly at sea. More Vietnamese people are likely to return home from Cambodia in the coming time after the country loosens social distancing. This would pose higher risks for a Covid-19 outbreak in Vietnam,” the official added.
The city has also been urged to make preparations to respond to Covid-19. Wards and communes need to have quarantine sites in necessary cases.
On the same day, a Ministry of Health delegation visited Can Tho Central General Hospital and Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy.
Can Tho Central General Hospital is experiencing overloading as in reality the hospital is home to up to 1,400 sick beds compared to the designed capacity of 1,000. If a Covid-19 outbreak happens, this would cause major problems for the hospital.
Long urged the hospital to co-operate with concerned agencies to quickly build a field hospital in Phong Dien District.
The official also instructed Cho Ray Hospital in HCM City to support the construction of the field hospital.