The Hanoi city government has decided to take samples of all residents of Ha Loi village, located in the outlying district of Me Linh, for SARS-CoV-2 testing after three people of the village tested positive for the coronavirus, VnExpress reported.

Health workers take samples for testing in Ha Loi village. Photo: G.C

On April 9, health workers from the Hanoi Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collected more than 1,800 samples of people in Bang hamlet (Ha Loi village), according to Deputy Director of the Hanoi CDC Khong Minh Tuan.

"A maximum of 2,500 samples will be collected a day so it will take four days to complete sampling all residents in Ha Loi village, and one more day to get results," Tuan said.

As of April 10, three Covid-19 patients have been detected in Ha Loi village. The source is a 47-year-old man who is identified as Patient No.243. Two others who were in close contact with him have been infected with the virus.

So far, more than 100 people having close contact with the patient (F1) and more than 200 F2 people (those who came into contact with F1) have been identified. Among them, 63 health workers at Hanoi Obstetric and Gynecology Hospital have tested negative for the virus.

After Patient No.243 was detected, Hanoi mayor Nguyen Duc Chung decided to put the village on lockdown and asked local authorities to ensure food supply for the villagers daily.

Vietnam has confirmed 257 coronavirus-infected cases, including 144 convalescents. Hanoi takes the lead in Vietnam in terms of case count with 120, of them 58 have fully recovered.