Chu Ngoc Anh, chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee, proposes that local universities and colleges switch to remote learning till the end of February to prevent COVID-19 transmission.

The proposal was put forward on Monday in a government meeting with the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

During the meeting, Anh reported on the death of patient No. 2,229, a Japanese national whose body was found with the COVID-19 pathogen on Saturday.

The case is considered a community transmission, which prompted the isolation and sampling of at least 290 people involved, according to the chairman.

Local authorities pointed out two scenarios that led to the transmission. One hypothesis suggested that he was infected by another person in his building, which has not been detected with COVID-19 since testing results of all people involved turned out negative.

Meanwhile, it is also speculated that another Japanese expert in the patient’s bubble might be the transmission source.

Considering the possibilities, Hanoi is staying on high alert to contain infection risks, tracing direct contacts of the patient, as well as reinforcing regulations against the epidemic at hospitals, clinics, and lodging facilities.

Foreign experts in the locale are also under surveillance, while high-risk individuals and large crowds in community spots are randomly tested.

The Hanoi leader also called on the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control to come up with a comprehensive solution to encourage medical declaration from high-risk demographics.

He urged the Ministry of Health to detect the transmission source of the case.

Hanoi is preparing to welcome millions of people returning from surrounding provinces after the Lunar New Year holiday ends, which can harbor immense risks of COVID-19 spread, Anh stated.

The capital decided to extend the closure of all K-12 schools until the end of February.

Regarding the control of the returnees from other provinces, Anh requested support from central-level agencies in collecting medical declarations.

As of Tuesday morning, Vietnam had documented 2,271 COVID-19 cases, with 1,541 recoveries and 35 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

A total of 679 local infections have been detected in 13 provinces and cities since January 27.

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