COVID-19 cases in Vietnam pass 800 mark
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| Donations have kept pouring in locked down Da Nang hospital to support doctors, nurses, medical workers, patients and theire relatives |
They include 15 cases in Da Nang, two in Quang Nam province, two in Bac Giang province, and one in Khanh Hoa province.
Most of the newly detected cases have tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus after coming into close contact with COVID-19 patients. One of them is a patient and one is a medical worker in Da Nang.
Meanwhile, a coronavirus case has also been confirmed in Hanoi. The 17-year-old man returned to Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport from the US on August 6. He was quarantined as soon as he landed in Vietnam and his latest test proved the returnee had carried the virus.
As of 18.00hrs August 8, Vietnam has confirmed 810 coronavirus cases, including 353 cases detected in the community following the recurrence of the virus in Da Nang city two weeks ago.
The latest coronavirus outbreak has spread to 15 cities and provinces across three regions of the country. Da Nang topped the list with 246 cases, followed by Quang Nam (67), Ho Chi Minh City (8), Quang Ngai (6), Hanoi and Bac Giang (5 each), Lang Son (4), Dak Lak (3), Quang Tri and Dong Nai (2 each), and Thanh Hoa, Hai Duong, Thai Binh, Ha Nam and Khanh Hoa (1 each).
10 fatalities have been reported since the outbreak started in Da Nang.
As the new virus strain was said to spread very quickly, the Ministry of Health on August 7 issued another urgent telegram, calling cities and provinces nationwide to step up contact tracing and quarantine suspect cases.
A primary focus is now on Hanoi capital which is said to have received tens of thousands of holidaymakers returning from Da Nang. The city has decided to launch a RT-PCR testing campaign, started August 8, for all returnees from the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak and those who have come into contact with COVID-19 patients.
Latest statistics show that Hanoi has more than 74,900 people in need of such PCR tests this time.
The Ministry of Health pledged on August 8 it will help Hanoi capital complete the extensive testing campaign in a shortest possible time in an attempt to early detect suspect cases in the community.
