A doctor takes samples for Covid-19 testing in Ho Chi Minh City
According to the ministry's report, 3,321 of the newly-confirmed patients are locally-transmitted cases 2,939 of whom were detected in quarantine sites or areas under lockdown in some localities including 2,420 in Ho Chi Minh City, 166 in Binh Duong, 158 in Dong Thap, 146 in Tien Giang, 72 in Dong Nai, 57 in Khanh Hoa, 49 in Vinh Long, 44 in Phu Yen, 39 in Danang, 33 in Tay Ninh, 19 in Can Tho, 16 in Nghe An, 15 in Ben Tre, 15 in Hung Yen, 13 in Binh Phuoc, nine in Binh Thuan, eight in Kien Giang, seven in Hau Giang, seven in Bac Ninh, six in Hanoi, four in Quang Ngai, three in Ninh Thuan, two in Lam Dong, two in Tra Vinh, two in Ca Mau, two in Bac Giang, and one each in Dak Nong, Lang Son, An Giang, Thanh Hoa, Lao Cai, Dak Lak, and Vinh Phuc.
Ho Chi Minh City continued to report the highest number of new infections in the country. On Thursday, the city also recorded 2,691 new patients, the majority of which are individuals who came into contact with confirmed Covid-19 patients or who were detected in either isolation and locked down areas. The city has imposed social distancing measures in 15 days starting from July 9 in an effort to prevent the virus spread.
As of Friday evening, 40,609 locally-transmitted cases have been reported since the new outbreak occurred in the country on April 27, including 23,913 in the virus hotspot of Ho Chi Minh City. The outbreak has so far spread to 58 cities and provinces nationwide.
15 imported patients are all Vietnamese citizens who recently returned from abroad. They were sent to quarantine areas in Thanh Hoa, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Quang Ninh upon arrival and are now being treated at local hospitals.
With these new infection cases, the number of Covid-19 patients in Vietnam has increased to 44,186 including 42,179 locally-transmitted cases.
As of 6 pm on July 16, a total of 10,020 Covid-19 patients had recovered and been discharged from hospital.
So far there have been 225 deaths, most of them being the elderly with serious underlying diseases.