Vietnam reports local Covid-19 transmission after a month

Vietnam on April 29 confirmed the first locally-transmitted Covid-19 case, breaking the strain of 34 days without community transmission.

Authorities quarantine an area in Ha Nam. Photos. MOH

The infected case is a resident living in the northern province of Ha Nam. He had finished 14-day quarantine after leaving Japan and tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 three times during the quarantine period.

As of April 30, 11 others have been infected from him who went home on April 22, including seven in Ha Nam, one in Hanoi, one in Ho Chi Minh City, and two in the northern province of Hung Yen.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long works with Ha Nam authorities on April 29.

Shortly after the local case was confirmed, Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long went to Ha Nam to work with local authorities to ensure quick and tough measures against the pandemic.

At night, local authorities conducted testing on more than 1,000 residents in a commune in Ha Nam. 

Meanwhile, affected localities have quickly quarantined patients, disinfected the pandemic-hit areas, and tested suspected people.

The local transmission has prompted the engagement of the whole political system as Vietnam is on the four-day holiday to celebrate the Reunification Day [April 30] and the International Workers’ Day [May 1].

Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at a meeting on April 30. Photo: Quang Hieu/VGP

On Friday morning [April 30], Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a meeting to launch proactive measures against the pandemic, joined by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam who is head of the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, and Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long. 

Relevant state agencies and local authorities are asking local people to strictly follow precautionary measures while messages alerting the risk of transmission go viral on media.

So far, Vietnam has 2,917 cases, including 2,516 recovered. The deaths remain unchanged at 35 for a year now.