Vietnam has suspended all in-person religious practices following a new cluster in Ho Chi Minh City and eight southern cities and provinces linked to Revival Ekklesia Mission Christian sect. 

The cluster results in lockdown in Go Vap District, HCMC. Photo: VietNamNet

This is the second time the Government Committee for Religious Affairs of Vietnam’s Ministry of Home Affairs have made the request asking religious establishments and religious sects to tighten control over communal gatherings for religious ceremonies after the cluster spawned more than 310 confirmed cases.

The cluster, which was detected in Go Vap District on May 26, has spread to 20 districts of the southern metropolis and eight cities and provinces. So far, there have been more than 5,300 first-generation contacts of confirmed cases, including dozens of Evangelical Church, and 320,000 people under medical surveillance.

Leaders of religious sects and establishments need to disseminate regulations and advise followers to make medical declaration at www.tokhaiyte.vn. Heads of religious establishments would be liable if disease transmission happened due to people flouting such advisories.

As putting technologies one of top priorities in the fight against Covid-19, Vietnam has set up the National Technology Center against Covid-19 to update technology in the common battle.

It works all day night to design, monitor, and ensure cyber security for technical foundations in the fight against Covid-19.

In terms of infections, on June 6, Vietnam recorded 201 cases of local transmission, including 121 in Bac Giang epicenter. The newest patients drive Bac Giang’s total caseload to 3,089 and Bac Ninh to 1,093.

On the same day, Bac Giang finished its plan of vaccinating 150,000 people, mostly workers in industrial parks. The local authorities have asked for another 150,000 doses for workers and frontline forces.

Chairman of the Bac Giang People’s Committee Le Anh Duong works with Fuyu Precision Component Co., Ltd on June 5. Photo: MoH

A good news was reported from the epicenter when Foxconn’s Fuyu Precision Component Co., Ltd resumed operations after more than two weeks of suspension. Listed among the Global 500, Foxconn is one of Apple’s main assemblers.

So far, three Foxconn’s factors have resumed operations in both Bac Giang and the neighboring province of Bac Ninh.

Chairman of the Bac Giang People’s Committee Le Anh Duong said when checking countermeasures at some foreign-invested companies on June 5 that the local government is making efforts to soon bring back foreign-invested companies to operations.

As of June 6, Vietnam confirmed 8,747 cases, including 53 deaths.

In an effort to speed up the inoculation, the Vietnam Fund for Vaccination Prevention of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (VFVC) was made debut on June. The fund has received donation worth more than VND7 trillion (US$304 million). Hanoi has contributed VND100 billion to the fund and an amount worth VND1 trillion (US$43.6 million) to the state budget to buy vaccine for the city.

Vietnam's locally-transmitted Covid-19 infections. Source: MoH. Chart: Minh Vu