COVID-19: HCM City hotspot records over 3,300 new cases over 12 hours

Thứ Sáu, 23/07/2021, 09:23

Vietnam confirmed an additional 3,898 locally acquired coronavirus cases in 21 cities and provinces across the country during the past 12 hours, with Ho Chi Minh City alone registering more than 3,300 cases.

Healthcare workers in Nghe An (central Vietnam) work overnight to take samples for COVID-19 testing.

Most of the new cases were recorded in the quarantine or lockdown areas in southern Vietnam, while 191 cases were detected in the community, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in its 06.00am COVID-19 update on July 23.

HCM City, the country’s largest coronavirus hotspot, led all cities and provinces, documenting 3,303 new infections. It was followed by Long An 223, Binh Duong 37, Tien Giang 37, Tay Ninh 36, Dong Nai 33 and Dong Thap 32.

Elsewhere central and northern provinces logged new cases, including 47 in Da Nang, 15 in Phu Yen, 14 in Hanoi, and 11 in Nghe An.

The northern mountainous province of Lai Chau reported the first locally transmitted coronavirus case who returned from HCM City.

HCM City and 18 other southern cities and provinces are implementing a social distancing order with more restrictive measures in place to halt the spread of the virus in the community.

Experts say the fresh outbreak in the city has yet to reach its peak yet. Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son, who is in HCM City for COVID-19 prevention and control, states the city is working hard to screen and isolate F0 cases in very high risk areas and trying to flatten the curve in the coming days.

Data from the MoH show Vietnam has logged 74,570 new cases following the resurgence of the virus in late April, and 78,269 cases since the onset of the first outbreak in the country.

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