Vietnam’s Ministry of Health has named three coronavirus epicenters in the country, all are in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the two biggest cities in the country.

The most worrisome hot spot is Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi, the largest hospital in Vietnam, and the two others are in Ho Chi Minh City, namely Buddha bar in District 2 and District 8 that is home to a group of people who are linked to Malaysia’s mass Muslim gathering.

Bach Mai Hospital: As of March 30, as many as 33 coronavirus-infected cases, including two nurses, are in connection with this hospital.

Bach Mai Hospital was disinfected on March 28. Photo: Zing

Since March 28, the hospital has been under lockdown. All medical staff, inpatients, and patients’ relatives inside the hospital are under quarantine.

By March 30, 7,264 samples had been taken for coronavirus testing and 6,650 of them have showed negative results. No more medical workers of Bach Mai have tested positive for the virus, according to the hospital’s Deputy Director Duong Duc Hung.

Authorities nationwide are tracking down all people who were in Bach Mai Hospital from March 10 to 28 to take samples and give quarantine instructions. It’s estimated roughly 40,000 people were present at the hospital during the period.

Because of Bach Mai Hospital’s leading role in Vietnam’s health sector, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on March 30 allowed Bach Mai Hospital to resume receiving grave cases provided that it ensures no coronavirus cross-infection.

Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen said at an online meeting on March 30 that five groups of people are at risk of coronavirus infection at Bach Mai Hospital, namely patients who were discharged, medical workers, students who came there for internship and training, patients’ relatives, and staff working for the hospital.

Buddha bar has been closed since mid-March. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Buddha Bar & Grill in Thao Dien ward, District 2. According to Nguyen Tan Binh, director of Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Health, 15 positive with SARS-CoV-2 are linked to this bar. So far, 222 related people have been taken samples and 166 were confirmed negative with the virus.

Local authorities are keeping an eye on 2,400 others linked to this bar.

A British pilot became the first to test positive for the virus in connection with this bar.

A place in District 8 is quarantined. Photo: VietNamNet

District 8 is home to coronavirus patient No.64 who came from Switzerland and No.100 who attended a mass Muslim gathering in Malaysia from February 27 to March 1.

Hundreds of people who came into close contact with the two Covid-19 patients are put under quarantine. 306 people have been tested for the virus in connection with Patient No.100.