COVID-19: 56 more local cases detected, including 33 in Bac Giang hotspot

All the new cases in Bac Giang were closely tied to the outbreaks at Quang Chau and Van Trung industrial parks (IPs), said the MoH in its 06.00am COVID-19 update.

The MoH, in its 06.00pm COVID-19 update on May 23, also announced an additional 57 cases in Bac Giang alone, and they were all linked to the outbreaks at its IPs.  

Bac Giang has so far recorded nearly 1,000 COVID-19 cases since the virus recurred in late April, becoming the country’s largest coronavirus hotspot.

Meanwhile, Hanoi detected eight cases, including four at Times City, a block of apartments in the capital.  

The four people of a family have tested positive for the virus and the source of infection remains unknown, according to the Hanoi Centre for Diseases Control.

Elsewhere, seven cases were diagnosed in Bac Ninh, another coronavirus hotspot, five in Lang Son, two in Dien Bien and one in Hai Duong.

Since its emergence in Vietnam on April 28, the virus has spread to 30 cities and provinces across the country, with 2,220 locally transmitted cases documented.

The fourth COVID-19 wave in Vietnam is said to be difficult to contain as many clusters of infection have been detected at industrial parks and both the mutated variants B.1.1.7 and B.1.617.2 first found in the United Kingdom and India respectively have been recorded in several localities.  

The same day, the MoH announced two imported cases arriving in Vietnam from India. Both patients - the mother and her child staying at Times City - tested positive after nearly a month of entry.