HCMC to Covid-19 test arrivals from northern localities

The Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control and Prevention (HCDC) has been randomly screening 200 passengers arriving from Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport, Van Don International Airport in Quang Ninh Province and Cat Bi International Airport in Hai Phong City every day.

The move came as part of the city’s expansion strategy to early detect community transmissions and prevent further coronavirus outbreaks after a series of staff at Tan Son Nhat, the country’s largest airport, were diagnosed with Covid-19.

Between February 11-14, medical staff in HCMC had worked non-stop to Covid-19 test thousands of people living in high-risk areas like motels, employment premises, bus stations and markets.

As of Tuesday morning, the southern metropolis had recorded 36 Covid-19 cases.

Hanoi has recorded 34 cases since the new wave emerged late last month, Quang Ninh Province 59 and Hai Phong one. All three localities are close to the epicenter Hai Duong Province, which has recorded 501 cases.

It has been confirmed the U.K. variant is responsible for the latest outbreak in northern Vietnam while another from Rwanda caused HCMC’s cluster, stemming from Tan Son Nhat Airport.

Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long told a government meeting Tuesday the outbreak at the airport is "basically under control."

Vietnam has recorded as many as 679 locally transmitted Covid-19 cases since community transmissions reemerged in the nation on January 28 after 55 clean days in a row.