Vietnam records first Covid-19 community transmissions in two months

The cases break the 55-day break from community transmissions that Vietnam had enjoyed.

"Patient 1552" is a 34-year-old woman working for Vietnam Poyun Electronics Co., Ltd. in Hai Duong Town.

A resident of Hung Dao Commune in the province's Chi Linh Town, she had come into close contact with another female worker who was confirmed positive for the novel coronavirus when arriving in Japan last week.

It's not clear how the woman who left Vietnam for Japan on January 17 was infected with the virus. Hai Duong health authorities have launched a contact tracing campaign to track down all people who’d come in contact with the woman.

"Patient 1553" is a 31-year-old employee at the Van Don International Airport in Quang Ninh Province. He lives in Hong Ha Ward of the province's Ha Long Town.

The airport received many repatriation flights amid the pandemic, and many arrivals on these flights have been confirmed Covid-19 patients.

Recently, he went to a local hospital for a health check after developing fever, cough and a sore throat. He was confirmed positive with the novel coronavirus once on Wednesday night. The second test results confirmed early Thursday that he was positive.

Both patients are being treated at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi.

Vietnam now has recorded 1,553 cases, including 85 active patients.

Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long said at an urgent meeting late Wednesday night that experts would be sent to Hai Duong from Hanoi to conduct mass testing in the area where "Patient 1552" lives.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam noted that with the Lunar New Year festival coming close, Hai Duong has to make all efforts to locate the infected areas within 10 days and contain the outbreak as soon as possible.