Doctors and nurses take care of a critical Covid-19 patient at a hospital in HCMC. The country reported 1,612 new Covid-19 cases, including 1,600 domestic infections, on Saturday evening - PHOTO: MINISTRY OF HEALTH
HCMC - Domestic Covid-19 transmission worsened today as the Ministry of Health this evening, July 17, confirmed 1,600 new domestic Covid-19 cases in 25 cities and provinces nationwide. The new infections took the country's case number of the day to over 3,700.
HCMC reported the biggest number of new infections with 1,017 cases, followed by Dong Thap with 139, Long An with 134 and Khanh Hoa with 78.
New infections also surged in Dong Nai with 64 cases, Danang with 33, Phu Yen with 30 and Ba Ria-Vung Tau with 23.
In addition, 15 were detected in Tra Vinh, 13 each in Hung Yen and Hanoi, five each in Gia Lai, Binh Thuan, An Giang and Ha Nam, four in Dak Nong, three each in Haiphong, Binh Phuoc and Quang Ngai, two each in Bac Ninh and Can Tho and one each in Bac Giang, Lang Son, Ninh Thuan and Vinh Phuc.
Besides, 12 imported infections were reported in HCMC, Hanoi, An Giang and Kien Giang. They returned to Vietnam between June 24 and July 15.
Today, the country reported a total of 3,718 new Covid-19 cases, including 3,705 domestic infections in 31 cities and provinces and 13 imported cases. This is the third straight day that the total number of new infections in a single day has exceeded 3,000.
The new infections sent Vietnam’s Covid-19 tally to 47,904. The country has reported 44,263 locally transmitted Covid-19 cases in the fourth wave of the pandemic, which began in late April. HCMC as the biggest hotspot saw 2,786 cases today and 26,699 cases in the current wave.
Up to now, 10,312 Covid-19 patients nationwide have fully recovered, including 292 people discharged from the hospital today.
Chairing a meeting of the national steering committee for Covid-19 infection prevention and control today, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam asked the HCMC government to continue to tighten control over quarantine centers and areas under lockdown to prevent cross infection of Covid-19.
Dam also requested the city enhance Covid-19 testing capacity and increase surveillance over the transportation of Covid-19 patients to treatment facilities, especially those with worsening symptoms.
Besides, the city needs to ensure the supply of essential goods and food for the residents and encourage the people to share the immediate difficulties with the local authorities by strictly complying with social distancing regulations.
Also on the day, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh visited Dong Thap, one of the Covid-19 hotspots in the Mekong Delta, to inspect Covid-19 containment activities.
The deputy prime minister suggested the province mobilize all possible resources for the Covid-19 fight, support vulnerable and disadvantaged people, while protecting production activities of enterprises.
