Vietnam Covid-19 cases rise by five to 227

Since several weeks, the Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi and Buddha Bar & Grill in HCMC have emerged as Covid-19 hotspots, accounting for a majority of new infections.

"Patient 223" is a woman, 29, from Hai Hau District in the northern province of Nam Dinh. She was taking care of a family member at the functional rehabilitation department of Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi. Between March 11 and 14, she dined and visited the hospital’s canteen and met with many staff of the Truong Sinh Company, the food and logistic services provider to the hospital.

She started to cough and ran a fever on March 26, and was sent to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Dong Anh District for testing. She is now undergoing treatment at the hospital.

"Patient 224" is a Brazilian man, 39, residing in Thao Dien Ward of HCMC’s District 2. He was a roommate of "Patient 158" at the Masteri apartment complex. "Patient 158" is among those infected from a party at the Buddha Bar in Thao Dien on March 14.

On March 27, "Patient 224" was sent to a quarantine camp in Hoc Mon District as the city tracked down people who had attended the Buddha Bar party and those who had come into contact with them. After "Patient 224" tested positive, he was transferred to the city’s field hospital in Cu Chi District.

"Patient 225" is a 35-year-old resident of An Dong Commune, An Duong District in the northern city of Hai Phong. He has been living and working in Moscow, Russia for 10 years. He returned to Vietnam on Aeroflot flight SU290, seat 50D, on March 25 and was sent to a quarantine camp in Hanoi’s Thach That District. After testing positive, he is being treated at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Dong Anh District.

"Patient 226" is 22. He flew back to Vietnam on the same Aeroflot flight as "Patient 212" from Moscow on March 27. He was  quarantined at a facility in the northern province of Vinh Phuc. After his samples tested positive, he is being treated at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

"Patient 227," 31, is an employee of the Bao Viet insurance firm and son of "Patient 209." He came into close contact with his mother from March 16 to 25 and was isolated at the Duc Giang General Hospital in Hanoi's Long Bien District from March 27 onwards. He was confirmed positive on March 31 and transferred to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

"Patient 209" is a 55-year-old cook at Petrolimex Hanoi Co., Ltd in Hanoi. Between March 18 and 24, she had come into close contact with "Patient 163" at the company’s canteen. "Patient 163" is a 43-year-old Vietnamese woman, granddaughter of "Patient 161" and lives in Hanoi’s Long Bien District. She was a caretaker for her grandmother at the Bach Mai Hospital.

That makes "Patient 227" the first fifth generation patient of Covid-19 in Vietnam.

One of the largest hospitals in the country, Bach Mai is now Vietnam's largest Covid-19 hotspot with 42 related cases, 26 of them employees of the Truong Sinh Company.

The Buddha Bar & Grill in HCMC is the second largest hotspot, with the latest addition bringing the number of related patients to 16.

As of Thursday night, Vietnam has confirmed 227 Covid-19 infections, 75 of whom have been discharged from hospitals.

Vietnam declared Covid-19 a national epidemic Wednesday afternoon.

To date, the Covid-19 pandemic has killed more than 49,000, spreading to 203 countries and territories.