Vietnam reports 26 new cases of Covid-19 Monday; 2 in Hanoi, 24 in HCMC

Vietnam reported 26 new cases of the coronavirus Monday, with 24 of the cases in Ho Chi Minh City, according to Dantri.

The steering committee for the prevention of epidemics in Ho Chi Minh City held an emergency meeting with relevant units on the morning of Feb. 8 confirming the new cases. Dr. Nguyen Tri Dung, director of the Center for Disease Control in HCM, said that the 24 additional cases had tested positive for the virus and had been moved in to quarantine.

The Center for Disease Control in the city is currently investigating the traceability of exposure for the new cases, with many points in the city being blocked and isolated. 

The two Hanoi cases include a patient who had been in contact with a coronavirus patient and one who had returned to the capital after visiting Gia Lai Province in the central highlands, according to VTV.

Khong Minh Tuan, deputy director of the Hanoi Center for Disease Control, said one of the cases, in Tu Liem District, posed very high risk in terms of having adding to community infections as he had been in direct contact with a coronavirus patient since as early as Jan. 26.

Hanoi has now registered 25 cases of Covid-10 since Jan. 28, with the Hanoi Center for Disease Control predicting new cases in the coming days.

The city is urging residents to continue with its “5K” policy on the virus: wear facemasks, sanitize, socially distance, no large public gatherings, make health declarations and install the Bluezone tracing app.

The coronavirus has infected over 106 million people worldwide, killing over 2.3 million.