Vietnam confirms another 14 domestic Covid-19 cases

One of the new cases is a 29-year-old woman from the northern province of Bac Ninh, wife of "patient 1565" and mother of "patient 1562." All three cases are related to Chi Linh Town in Hai Duong Province, Vietnam's biggest Covid-19 hotspot at present.

Bac Ninh has recorded three infections in the latest outbreak, which began last Thursday.

The northern province of Hoa Binh recorded two cases in Tan Lac District and Hoa Binh Town.

Two other cases are residents of Ayun Pa Town in Gia Lai, raising the total infections in the Central Highlands province to four.

Hanoi recorded five new cases in Nam Tu Liem District, who are all family members of "patient 1694", taking its tally to nine in the last four days. "Patient 1694" is a case related to Van Don International Airport in Quang Ninh Province.

With four new cases confirmed Sunday morning, Hai Duong's total has risen to 179.

A medic collects swab samples from a woman at an industrial zone in Thu Duc District, HCMC for Covid-19 testing, April 20, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran.

The latest outbreak with a total of 221 community transmissions has happened right before the Lunar New Year (Tet), Vietnam's biggest holiday which peaks on Feb. 12 this year.

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

With the speed of transmission the fastest since the Covid-19 epidemic broke out in Vietnam, it is suspected that the virus be the U.K. variant, which is 70 percent more transmissible than previously identified strains. Health experts are analyzing the virus strains from the first two patients.

Vietnam has registered a total of 1,781 Covid-19 cases and 35 deaths.

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