Ho Chi Minh City

Covid-19 infection cases reported in HCMC’s 20 districts

SGGP 01/06/2021 13:07

Infection cases have been reported in 20/22 districts in Ho Chi Minh City. Worse, the disease spread in the city is predicted to continue because of a more virulent strain of the virus; it can even spread to neighboring provinces and cities, said Director of the city Department of Health Professor Nguyen Tan Binh.

The city Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control on June 1 held a briefing on epidemic prevention task. Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh, Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong, and Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long attended the brief.

Speaking at the meeting, Professor Binh said that the infections among members of the religious mission and their contacts have spiked to 200 from May 26

From 6 PM on May 31 to this morning, the city Center for Disease Control (HCDC) recorded 11 additional people tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Approximately 3,028 people are contacts F1 of the religious mission cluster. Of 3,028 samples, test results of 2,557 people came out negative while 471 people are waiting for results. Around 15,200 people are contacts F2.

Professor Nguyen Tan Binh revealed the results of genome sequencing of the first five patients in the mission outbreak were of the Indian variant, B.1.617.2. Of 55 members of the mission, 40 people have contracted Covid-19 who infected 160 other contacts including co-workers at workplaces, relatives in their families and friends.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Tan Binh also said that in addition to the infections from religious activities, the risk of infection in workplaces is quite high because occupants in office buildings could become infected when an infected case works in office building.

Regarding the Covid-19 transmission in industrial parks (IZs), the city has also recorded three infection cases in Tan Binh Industrial Park, Tay Bac Cu Chi Industrial Park and Vinh Loc - Hoc Mon Industrial Park. Simultaneously, one worker was found to be positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the Mekong Delta Province of Long An who is working at Coats Phong Phu Company in Thu Duc City where is hiring 1,082 employees. Currently, 146 cases of contacts F1 have been identified for concentrated isolation and testing. The remaining employees will undergo tests later; the company was shuttered from May 30.

In addition, some members of this religious sect are working at companies in the industrial zone; therefore, the possibility of disease spread is quite high. The favorable working and living environment in industrial parks facilitates the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to the community.

By Thanh An - Translated by Anh Quan