According to the Ministry of Health, 450 new cases in HCM City were detected in quarantine or lockdown areas, while the remaining 150 cases are under epidemiological investigation.
The city, the busiest and most populous in Vietnam, is struggling to cope with the spread of the Delta variant which was first identified in India. A two-week social distancing order with stricter restrictions came in force two days ago, aiming to slow the spread of the virus.
Data from the Ministry of Health show that the virus has attacked all 22 districts and towns in the city, with Binh Tan, Binh Chanh and District 8 falling into the high-risk area category.
Surging cases forced Vietnam’s largest city to convert unused apartment buildings in resettlement areas into field hospitals to receive and treat patients, as well as to quarantine F1 cases (those in first contact with sources of infection).
The city has begun applying the home quarantine policy to F1 cases, but not F0 cases though such policy has been implemented in many countries worldwide.
Elsewhere, new cases were sporadically documented in central and northern provinces, including Bac Giang 9, Hanoi 6, Hung Yen 3, Ba Ria – Vung Tau 3, Ninh Thuan 2, Ha Tinh 2, Binh Thuan 2 , Binh Dinh 1, Dak Nong 1, Lam Dong 1, Hai Phong 1 and Thanh Hoa 1.
As of 12.00am July 11 Vietnam has confirmed 25,615 new cases during the fresh outbreak in 58 cities and provinces and a total of 29,103 cases since January 2020.
As many as 9,204 patients have recovered from the disease, and 107 patients have died of COVID-19 and other underlying illnesses.
More than 4 million doses of the vaccine have been administered nationwide, with 271,409 people fully receiving two shots.