Hanoi plans two field hospitals in case nCoV infections rise

One hospital would be part of the military barracks in Xuan Mai Town of Chuong My District and the other will be in the defense and security education center in Thanh My Commune, Son Tay District, said Colonel Nguyen Viet Thang, chairman of the army medical corps under the Hanoi Capital City Special High Command under the People's Army of Vietnam.

Each hospital will have 150 beds and 120 staff, he said.

The hospitals will make use of utilities at the location or build canvas structures, depending on the specific situation, he added.

The Hanoi Capital City Special High Command has been assigned to isolate 950 people if needed, but Thang said the two hospitals will be able to quarantine up to 1,500 in 14 days. The virus incubation period has been determined to be between two and 14 days.

Preparations for quarantining peope for at least two weeks period is made in line with a new order issued Monday by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Phuc said Monday that Vietnamese and foreigners entering Vietnam from China will be quarantined for 14. The order will apply to everyone who has passed by Chinese areas that have reported the novel coronavirus infection.

Those who have been to or passed through Hubei Province, the epicenter of the outbreak, must be treated as infection cases and quarantined when they arrive, and steps taken to prevent transmission within the quarantine zones, the PM said.

Hanoi has not recorded any nCoV infection case. The capital city has so far quarantined 29 suspects, 27 of whom have tested negative.

Meanwhile, HCMC has already started work on a VND255 billion ($11 million) field hospital with facilities in two locations.

The hospital, being built by the city Department of Health and the municipal Military Command, is expected to be completed by mid-February. When the admitted Wuhan pneumonia cases in HCMC, suspected or confirmed, exceed 500, the field hospital will be deployed to quarantine and treat.

Quang Ninh Province, which shares the border with China in northern Vietnam, has established its second quarantine zone for dealing with the virus outbreak.

The first one was set up several days ago at the medical center of Mong Cai Town which is home to the international border gate. The second zone will be at the Quang Ninh Tuberculosis and Lung Hospital in Ha Long Town.

Vietnam confirmed Tuesday afternoon its 10th nCoV patient. Three patients have been discharged.

As of Tuesday morning, the novel coronavirus had killed 427 people and infected more than 20,600, of whom 730 have recovered.