As Ho Chi Minh City’s streets turned empty on the second night of outdoor restrictions, the number of new cases remained high on Tuesday.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Health confirmed 7,913 new COVID-19 infections: 2,764 in the morning and 5,149 on Tuesday night. The new patient tally brings the total national cases to 114,260.
The latest patients are domestic infections in Ho Chi Minh City (4,469), Dong Nai (120), Long An (75), Binh Duong (79), Dong Thap (154), Can Tho (54), Binh Thuan (45), Da Nang (26), Phu Yen (23), Soc Trang (22), Ha Noi (19), Ninh Thuan (13), Vinh Phuc (11), Gia Lai (5), Dak Nong (5), Binh Dinh (4), Thua Thien-Hue (4), Quang Nam (3), Hau Giang (3), Quang Ngai (3), Kon Tum (2), Lang Son (2), Kien Giang (2), Thai Nguyen (1), Bac Lieu (1), Thanh Hoa (1), Lam Dong (1), Ha Tinh (1), Dak Lak (1).
With the new data, worst-hit Ho Chi Minh City has now recorded 72,740 confirmed cases.
On the same day, a total of 1,602 patients were discharged from hospitals and isolation camps, putting the total recoveries to 22,946.
Several localities in the southern region and the capital city of Hanoi are currently under travel control. Those under Directive 16 are prohibited from going outdoors, save for emergencies and purchasing of essential supplies.
Ho Chi Minh City and eight Mekong Delta provinces are also imposing additional night-time restrictions, banning residents from going out from 6 pm to 6 am. Residents in An Giang, Hau Giang, Long An, Tien Giang, Vinh Long, Bac Lieu, as well as in Ben Tre and Kien Giang will have to abide by the new policy. Convenience stores and supermarkets in these areas are ordered to close at 5 pm.
The industrial province of Binh Duong meanwhile will have its travel ban enforced from Wednesday, after 248 factory workers have tested positive for coronavirus. The infected workers are among almost 300 who had chosen to stay back at the factory of the Long Viet Wooden Technology JSC in the southern province’s Di An Town.
As all workers who chose to stay in the factory were tested negative for COVID-19 when they first slept in the factory premises on July 10, it’s not yet clear whether a protocol has been breached.
Now with more than 8,909 coronavirus cases, Binh Duong, which borders Ho Chi Minh City, is now the second worst-hit locality.