The Vietnamese Ministry of Health on Sunday revealed ten more people, including nine foreigners, tested positive with the new coronavirus (SARS-Covid-2), taking the toll of infections to 30.

Truc Bach street in Hanoi is under lockdown after the first infection case was confirmed. Photo: KTDT

All the new ten patients arrived in Hanoi on March 2 on the same Vietnam Airlines flight VN54 from London, the ministry said on its website https://suckhoedoisong.vn.

The 17th case, a 26-year-old girl who returned to in Hanoi in a business-class seat, tested positive with the virus on March 5, becoming the first case in Hanoi. Her auntie and a family driver got infected from her.

The 21st case is a 61-year-old Hanoian and said to be vice chairman of the Central Theoretical Council of the Communist Party of Vietnam and a member of the Advisory Team of the Prime Minister.

The latest case is a 66-year-old British woman is now in the central city of Hue. The eight other foreign visitors are now being treated in the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases on the outskirts of Hanoi, Lao Cai and Danang.

Before March 6, more than three weeks passed by without any new case detected in Vietnam. Of the 30 patients, 16 have been cured and discharged from hospital. The 14 remaining cases all are in stable condition.

With the new cases confirmed, Hanoi has been put to test. More infections are expected in the coming days as the first case in Hanoi and the 17th patient in Vietnam made contact with dozens after returning home, according to Director of the city’s Health Department Nguyen Khac Hien.

After the first case was confirmed in the city on March 6, Chairman of the People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung called for stronger dissemination of information to control the epidemic. All passengers, regardless of Vietnamese or foreigners, who arrive in Hanoi via border gates have to declare health condition and travel history.

Hanoi is at high risk of contagion because the Covid-19 epidemic has spread to 98 countries and territories, whose citizens have come to Hanoi, said Chung. In addition, Hanoi citizens have traveled to European countries, including epicenters of outbreak like Italy and France.

Hanoi has asked for the Health Ministry’s green light to declare itself an epidemic-hit city.

Health authorities have confirmed that the epidemic is under control in Vietnam.