Hanoi (VNA) 𝓰- Vietnam is among the four nations that have been successfully isolated the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), which has led to the COVID-19 outbreak. The success will create favourable conditions for quick tests of suspected cases.

It means that the country is now capable of testing thousands of samples if necessary, stressed Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen. He made such highlights at a ceremony held in Hanoi on February 12 to bestow the Minister of Health’s certificates of merit on individuals and a collective from the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE).

Building a model for COVID-19 forecast

Scientific researches on treating respiratory syndrome, including the study of the coronavirus are a top priority in COVID-19 prevention and control. To such cause, the NIHE established a group of scientists, who worked day and night till they completed the virus isolation, a milestone in treating the disease. As a result of the isolation, doctors gained insights into the virus’s features, effects, and virulence, hence a more specific research on its transmission. According to Tuyen, COVID-19 is under control in the central provinces of Khanh Hoa and Thanh Hoa and Ho Chi Minh City, among other localities. The northern province of Vinh Phuc is the area with highest number of infections; the province has 10 out of 15 cases nationwide. Vinh Phuc has been implementing a host of measures to detect the disease and curb its spread, with three of its COVID-19 patients released from the hospital. The official hoped the NIHE would make obtain more research achievements in contribution to COVID-19 prevention and control. The institute should set up a team for studying materials from COVID-19-hit countries to make a chart of the disease developments in the coming time and provide forecast, Tuyen stressed. Also according to Tuyen, if there is no new patient detected and the monitoring of the situation is done well, Vietnam will announce the end of the epidemic.

Research teams give all-out performances

Dang Duc Anh, head of the NIHE, said the institute’s research teams had worked dedicatedly around the clock so that they could immediately process all samples delivered. After successfully isolating the virus, the institute began producing control samples, which can be use by a number of units in their production of quick test kits for COVID-19 screening at the provincial level. Currently, there are 22 facilities capable of testing the 2019-nCoV, Duc Anh said, adding that before transferring the testing technology, the institute has a plan for human resources training and facility assessment, particularly in terms of biosafety. Health Deputy Minister Tuyen recommended that the transfer can only be done after strict assessments take place and related certificates are granted. Earlier, on February 7, the NIHE said it has successfully cultured and isolated the 2019-nCoV. Highly evaluating achievements of the institute in the past time, the Health Ministry, on February 12, conferred its minister’s certificates of merit on six individuals and one team that demonstrated outstanding performances in researching and isolating the virus. Accordingly, the recipients included professor Dang Duc Anh, head of the institute; associate professor Le Thi Quynh Mai, deputy head of the institute; Dr Hoang Vu Mai Phuong, head of the department for virus studies; associate professor Nguyen Le Khanh Hang, deputy head of the department for virus studies; Vuong Duc Cuong from the department; and Nguyen Thanh Thuy from the biomedical studies centre./.