Vietnam on May 25 logged the highest-ever single-day spike on the coronavirus infections since the outbreak flared up in early 2020.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son (3rd right) check ICU in Bac Giang on May 24. Photo: Hoang Phong

The country confirmed 444 cases of local transmission, lifting its total caseload to 5,800. The number of pandemic-caused deaths stays at 44.

The northern province of Bac Giang recorded the highest one-day tally of new Covid-19 cases in the country with 375 cases, lifting its total infections to 1,399 since the start of the new wave nearly a month ago.

The surge in Bac Giang’s infections has prompted an urgent meeting in which Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long said the ministry will make maximum support for Bac Giang, much more than Danang [where the virus attacked healthcare system in July 2020 and killed dozens of people].

He said curbing the transmission in the industrial parks becomes a must-do task.

Long attributed Bac Giang’s mounting cases to Covid-19 variants, saying that the infections likely hit 3,000.

Genomic sequencing that local scientists conducted on Bac Giang infections shows subtypes of the Indian variant B.1.617.

Vietnam's daily Covid-19 cases. Source: MOH. Chart: Minh Vu

To treat patients on the critical list, an intensive care unit (ICU) with 58 beds has been set up in Bac Giang Lung Hospital. Bach Mai Hospital helps the treatment of severe cases.

Some days ago, military health professionals have helped built makeshift hospitals capable of treating 1,000 patients. Bac Giang’s healthcare system can accommodate 3,000 Covid-19 patients.

In addition to Bac Giang epicenter, Bac Ninh and Hanoi also posted the high number of infections. Bac Ninh, which houses Samsung Electronics Vietnam (SEV) and its vendors has isolated several residential areas but made efforts to keep industrial parks running. Meanwhile, Hanoi has chosen different levels of isolation on small scale to avoid impacts on the socio-economic development.