Vietnam’s Ministry of Health on Thursday night confirmed nine more people infected with the new coronavirus, all coming from overseas, with eight being Vietnamese citizens and one American.

All the new cases confirmed on March 19 came from overseas.

Among the new cases, four have been found in Hanoi and all are students studying in the United Kingdom and aged between 20 and 25.  “Patient 77” and “patient 78” arrived in Hanoi from the UK on March 17. The two other Hanoians, identified as “patient 84” and “patient 85” came back to the home country on March 18.

The four are now under treatment at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hanoi’s Dong Anh district and in stable health condition.

The other five new patients are now in Ho Chi Minh City and arrived in the city on March 15 from London, Paris, and Istanbul.

The new cases announced on March 19 have lifted the toll of infections in the country to 85. Among 15 localities with Covid-19 patients, Hanoi takes the lead with 24, followed by Ho Chi Minh City (17, of them three have been cured), Vinh Phuc province (11, all discharged) and Binh Thuan province (9).

Sixteen patients were cured before February 26. Of the 69 active cases, two are in severe condition due to existing illnesses and the rest are in stable status. Five have tested negative for the virus and one can be discharged from hospital soon.

Vietnam entered the second phase of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic on March 6 when the 17th case in the country was found in Hanoi.