The HCDC has tested a total of 2,563 samples since December 1 afternoon, of which 2,344 samples returned negative for the novel coronavirus, Kinh te & Do thi Newspaper reported.

The 2,344 tested cases include 852 people who had close contact with Covid-19 patient (F1), the HCDC said, adding that it continues to take more samples for coronavirus testing.

Currently, Ho Chi Minh City stands with four Covid-19 locally infected patients and has not recorded any new cases in the community.

The city is treating 33 Covid-19 patients, of them, 29 were imported and put under strict quarantine immediately. Some 1,740 people have been isolated at the quarantine camp.

The HCDC continues to take more samples for coronavirus testing. Photo: Kinhtedothi.vn

Earlier, on December 3, Standing Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem signed an urgent document to request departments and the People's Committees of districts in the city to strengthen the Covid-19 prevention and control.

The city’s authorities emphasized the importance of criteria guiding the behaviors of people and businesses in the pandemic context, which was issued in May.

Agencies, organizations, and people must strictly follow the regulations of wearing face masks in public places, especially at schools and hospitals, and washing hand with sanitizer.

The city’s authorities also asked competent agencies to study regulations and appropriate punishments for people who spread dangerous infectious diseases to the community.

Several schools and universities in Ho Chi Minh City have asked a total of about 100,000 students to stay home as one of the newly-confirmed Covid-19 patients is a university student while a handful of others came into direct interaction with an infected case.

The Ho Chi Minh Pedagogical University also requested classes to be given online from 12:00 pm on December 2 through December 13.

The moves came as the Vietnam Airlines flight attendant who was confirmed as Covid-19 patient 1342 on November 30 is studying at the institution.

The municipal People’s Committee requested that patient 1342 will be strictly sanctioned for violating the Covid-19 prevention and control regulations.

Vietnam’s Covid-19 tally stood at 1,365, with 1,220 recoveries and 35 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

Three cases recently detected in the community, including patients 1347, 1348 and 1349 in Ho Chi Minh City. They were all traced back to patient 1342.

Vietnam had gone 88 days without an infection in the community before patient 1347 was reported on November 30.