A military truck sprays chemicals in the Old Quarter of Hoi An. More areas in Quang Nam were locked down. — Photo courtesy Quang Nam Portal

The province also locked down more residential quarters in Le Hong Phong and Truong Quang Trong wards in Quang Ngai City, as well as tested all who have had close contact with COVID-19 patients.

Army units disinfected living quarters and sites that COVID-19 patients had visited as of Sunday evening.

According to the latest report from the health department, nearly 9,000 people have been quarantined at heath centres and at home. More than 1,500 medical samples had been taken, of which 1,412 tested negative for SARS-CoV-2.

A total of 47 medical samples were tested at the provincial general hospital, and more tests will be conducted at the hospital and assigned Centre for Disease Control (CDC).

Doctors at a hospital in Da Nang. Strict measures have been implemented to limit infection in the community. — Photo courtesy of Da Nang Health Department

Da Nang and Quang Nam also expanded more lockdown areas as the two central localities become Vietnam's COVID-19 epicentre, with the virus spread affecting mostly hospitals and resulting in first deaths the country has recorded since the pandemic began.

Cam Le Hospital in Cam Le District and Le Son Nam Commune in Hoa Vang District were closed on Sunday for heath units to find people in contact with current COVID-19 patients.

Da Nang named six mass isolation sites and a 700-bed field hospital to be put into operation later this week.

The city will offer mass testing for possible SARS-CoV-2 hotspots with 10,000 medical samples tested each day.

At least 13,228 cases have been identified as contacts of COVID-19 patients as of Monday. More than 16,000 tests, of which 10,000 returned negative for SARS-CoV-2, have been conducted so far.

People living in lockdown areas, including three sections of streets surrounding three hospitals in the city, had been tested for SARS-CoV-2 as well as disinfected.

The city said it would re-open the general hospital in several days after a lockdown which began on July 28.

Quang Nam Province began expanding lockdowns to Dien Ban Town, Dai Loc, Duy Xuyen, Thang Binh and Que Son districts after An Hoi and Cam An wards in Hoi An were closed for COVID-19 isolation last week.

Medical workers test people at a quarantine centre in Thua Thien-Hue Province. The province is treating 18 COVID-19 patients from Da Nang and Quang Nam. — Photo courtesy Thua Thien-Hue Portal

Thua Thien-Hue Province sent buses to carry people returning from COVID-19 hotspots in Da Nang, Quang Nam and Quang Ngai. These people will be isolated and tested at quarantine centres.

The province prepared four quarantine centres to host more people from COVID-19 areas in central Vietnam.

According to the provincial health department, 19,000 people had been identified as returning from COVID-19 hotspots. Eighteen COVID-19 patients from Da Nang and Quang Nam are being treated at Hue Central Hospital.  VNS

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