Hanoi hospital disinfected after coronavirus scare

By Giang Huy, Tat Dinh March 28, 2020 | 10:39 pm PT

Personnel from the Vietnamese Army's chemical division disinfected Hanoi's Bach Mai Hospital on Saturday night after tens of Covid-19 infections were linked to it.

Around 7 p.m. Saturday, a fleet of 10 vehicles carrying soldiers from Vietnamese Armys Chemical Division began disinfecting Bach Mai Hospital, one of Vietnam’s largest, in Hanois Dong Da District.

At around 7 p.m. soldiers arrived in 10 vehicles at the hospital, one of Vietnam’s largest, in Dong Da District, and began spraying it.

The soldiers use Chloramine B, a disinfectant chemical compound, following the Ministry of Health guideline.

They used chloramine B as prescribed by the Health Ministry.

According to Colonel Pham Xuan Hung, deputy commander of the Armys Chemical Division, the unit scouted the entire hospital from noon on March 28, adding some equipments to be able to spray large-scale disinfection and on a high floor. With the improvement of the military equipment, we hope to create a clean environment and prevent pathogens from spreading outside.

According to Colonel Pham Xuan Hung, deputy commander of the Chemical Division, the unit scouted the hospital at noon that day, adding some equipment to be able to spray large volumes and reach high floors.

"With the improvement in military equipment, we hope to create a clean environment and prevent pathogens from spreading outside," Hung said.

Over 100 soldiers of the Chemical Division with protective suits, masks and chemical sprayers disinfecting the hospital.

Over 100 men from the Chemical Division in protective suits, masks and chemical sprayers carried out the task.

Patients, families, doctors and health workers were instructed to move out the main roads inside the hospital to make ways for the Armys Chemical Division.

Patients, families, doctors, and health workers were instructed to vacate roads inside the hospital to make way for the troops.

After spraying throughout major areas using specialized high-pressure sprayers, soldiers used smaller machines to disinfect small corners of the hospital.

The personnel first used high-pressure sprayers before switching to smaller equipment to disinfect less accessible corners.

Soldiers and all equipment were further disinfected to ensure safety before returning to the unit after finishing at around 8 p.m.

The personnel themselves and all the equipment were disinfected after they finished their task in around an hour at 8 p.m.

Later that night, the Hanoi Capital High Command also mobilized more than 30 vehicles to transport nearly 700 patients families to quarantine camp.

Later that night the Hanoi High Command dispatched more than 30 vehicles to transport nearly 700 relatives of patients to a quarantine camp.

Vietnam's Covid-19 tally has risen to 179, with 21 cases having recovered and been discharged from hospitals. Sixteen infections have been linked to the Bach Mai Hospital.

The hospital has stopped admitting new patients and permitting visitors, and been isolated since Saturday morning. Nearly 1,000 patients currently being treated there will not be discharged until they test negative for the novel coronavirus.