Hanoi orders probe into businessman flouting Covid-19 prevention rules

As requested by the city, the Hanoi Housing Development and Investment Corporation (Handico) has to make clear the responsibilities of all parties related to "the violation of regulations on preventing and fighting Covid-19 by its director."

Nguyen Van Thanh, the director, and his wife were confirmed infected with Covid-19 on Thursday morning.

Residing in Thanh Xuan District of Hanoi, the couple had visited central Da Nang City from April 30 to May 2.

After returning to Hanoi, they did not file any health declarations reporting where they had been even though several Covid-19 community clusters had developed in Da Nang following a new outbreak in the country on April 27.

Within ten days of returning home, each had visited different locations across the city and got in contact with many different people.

On May 9, Thanh's wife started to show Covid-19 symptoms, prompting a visit to a local clinic that refused to check her health for undisclosed reasons.

After Thanh developed the same symptoms on May 12, the couple visited Vietnam – Soviet Friendship Hospital in Hanoi's Hai Ba Trung District for a health check.

Both received positive results after testing.

According to the hospital, it was not until their rapid test returned positive that they admitted to having visited Da Nang.

Yet Thanh told VnExpress he and his wife had already filed declaration forms stating they had returned from Da Nang, along with flight information on arriving at the hospital.

The emergency department at the hospital, along with the couple's home and workplaces, have been isolated since Wednesday noon while health authorities are tracking those that had come into close contact with them.

Handico on Thursday proposed dismissing Thanh from his position.

Thanh failed to implement self-isolation measures after visiting high-risk pandemic areas, and on the other hand, had visited way too many places from the time he returned to Hanoi until May 12, which is against all regulations on Covid-19 prevention, it stated.

Vietnam's new Covid-19 wave has seen 665 community cases recorded in 26 cities and provinces since April 27.