Vietnam records 17 new Covid-19 community transmissions

The 17 community transmissions include four cases in Hanoi. "Patient 1724" and "patient 1725", who had come into close contact with "patient 1694", are residents of Dong Anh and Me Linh districts. "Patient 1814" and "patient 1815" are residents of Nam Tu Liem District.

Hanoi has reported a total 13 cases, all linked to Hai Duong Province, the country's biggest Covid-19 hotspot.

Another Covid-19 hotspot, Quang Ninh Province, confirmed three new cases, "Patient 1726", "patient 1727" and "patient 1740", taking its count to 25 since the country's new outbreak wave began last Thursday.

The three patients are residents of Dong Trieu Town and all related to Hai Duong's Chi Linh Town.

The southern province of Binh Duong recorded its first community transmission. Its "patient 1801" resides in Phu Giao District.

Hai Duong has another nine cases, all in Chi Linh Town. The province's infection tally is now 188.

The 19 imported cases include those from Germany, China, France and the U.S. who have been quarantined upon their arrival.

A medical worker tests novel coronavirus samples in a lab in HCMC, April 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran.

Authorities on Sunday also reported a Vietnamese man from the northern province of Phu Tho tested positive for the novel coronavirus upon his arrival at Japan's Narita Airport on January 18. Thirty two people who had come into close contact with him have been put under quarantine.

The latest Covid-19 wave with 238 community transmissions in the last four days has come right before the Lunar New Year (Tet), Vietnam's biggest holiday which peaks on Feb. 12 this year.

Hai Duong has recorded 188 cases, Quang Ninh (25), Hanoi (13), Gia Lai (4), Bac Ninh (3), Hoa Binh (2), and HCMC, Hai Phong and Binh Duong one each.

The sources of transmissions of the outbreak have not been identified, with the first patients confirmed being a man working at Van Don Airport in Quang Ninh and a woman working at Vietnam Poyun Electronics Co. Ltd in Chi Linh Town of Hai Duong.

Vietnam has registered 1,817 cases and 35 deaths so far.

The pandemic has infected more than 102.5 million people worldwide, killing more than 2.2 million.