Hanoi confirms first Omicron community infection

Vu Cao Cuong, deputy director of the Hanoi Department of Health, said the capital's first Omicron community transmission case, a hotel employee, has made contact with foreign entrants infected with the variant.

The employee has been quarantined at the hotel and there's no risk of further infection in the community, Cuong said.

Now that Hanoi has recorded an Omicron community infection, the risk for the variant to spread among the community is possible, he said.

Hanoi has recorded 14 Omicron infection cases so far, 13 of whom were imported cases. The capital has recorded over 118,000 Covid-19 cases in the fourth coronavirus wave since last April.

Over 98 percent of the city's adult population have received at least two Covid-19 vaccine shots.

Vietnam has recorded over 160 Omicron infections nationwide, including five community transmission cases linked to a U.S. entrant in HCMC.