A doctor takes samples for Covid-19 testing in Ho Chi Minh City
According to the ministry's report, 3,705 of the newly-confirmed patients are locally-transmitted cases 2,959 of whom were detected in quarantine sites or areas under lockdown in some localities including 2,786 in Ho Chi Minh City, 180 in Dong Thap, 134 in Long An, 124 in Binh Duong, 107 in Dong Nai, 100 in Khanh Hoa, 42 in Vinh Long, 34 in Ben Tre, 33 in Danang, 31 in Phu Yen, 23 in Ba Ria-Vung Tau, 15 in Hanoi, 15 in Tra Vinh, 13 in Hung Yen, 10 in Binh Phuoc, eight in An Giang, six in Soc Trang, six in Can Tho, six in Gia Lai, five in Dak Nong, five in Binh Thuan, five in Ha Nam, four in Bac Ninh, three in Hai Phong, three in Quang Ngai, two in Binh Dinh, and one each in Lam Dong, Bac Giang, Lang Son, Ninh Thuan, and Vinh Phuc.
Ho Chi Minh City continued to report the highest number of new infections in the country. On Friday, the city also recorded 2,420 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 Saturday evening, 44,314 locally-transmitted cases have been reported since the new outbreak occurred in the country on April 27, including 26,699 in the virus hotspot of Ho Chi Minh City. The outbreak has so far spread to 58 cities and provinces nationwide.
13 imported patients are all Vietnamese citizens who recently returned from abroad. They were sent to quarantine areas in Kien Giang, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and An Giang 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 47,904 including 45,884 locally-transmitted cases.
As of 6 pm on July 17, a total of 10,312 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.
The country has conducted over 4.23 million Covid-19 vaccine shots, with 298,177 people having received two doses.