72 apartments in Saigon’s District 5 have been locked down

Hundreds of police officers and militia members have been dispatched Monday noon to barricade four apartment blocks on Su Van Hanh Street. People in the blocks were advised against going out. Several others delivered food to those stuck inside the blocks.

The 23-year-old Vietnamese man has been with “Patient 1440,” a Covid-19 case who illegally entered Vietnam on December 24, during their time in Myanmar earlier this month. They both illegally entered Vietnam, a source told VnExpress Monday.

The men had traveled from Myanmar to Thailand on December 15, then from Bangkok to Cambodia on December 23, and then Vietnam.

On Sunday, the 23-year-old was quarantined at a quarantine zone in District 5, before testing positive for the novel coronavirus the same day. He’s being treated at the Cu Chi field hospital, showing symptoms like coughing and congested nose.

“Authorities are rechecking the case and the Ministry of Health is considering confirming it as a Covid-19 case,” the source said, adding that contact tracing is underway.

“Patient 1440,” 32-year-old man Le Thuc Tri, was driven to a Cambodia border gate with Vietnam on Dec. 24, then to HCMC, then got on a different bus to Vinh Long in the Mekong Delta. Throughout his journey, he had made contact with several other people.

After disembarking at Vinh Long, Tri traveled to his mother’s house. His mother reported him to authorities so he could be quarantined on Dec. 24. He was confirmed as a Covid-19 case on Saturday. He’s being treated at the Vinh Long Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Hospital in the Mekong Delta’s Vinh Long Province.

Vietnam has recorded 1,441 Covid-19 cases so far, with 100 still active and 35 dead. No community transmission has been recorded nationally in nearly a month.

Reported by Huu Cong, Dinh Van, @Vnexpress