The 13 domestically-transmitted cases were reported in 5 provinces, including: Hai Duong (6), Hanoi (2), Hung Yen (2), Ho Chi Minh City (2), Gia Lai (1).

Hai Duong confirmed 6 new cases (patients from No. 2054 to N. 2059), who are related to the hotspot in Chi Linh city. They have been quarantined for a time. Their third tests on February 8 were positive for SARS-CoV-2. These people are treated at the Medical Center of Chi Linh city, Hai Duong province.

Hanoi had two new patients No. 2060 and 2064. The first is a 38-year-old man, who is related to a Covid-19 outbreak in Lai Cach district of Hai Duong province. The second patient is a 73-year-old man, who had contact with patient 1819 and has been under quarantine since January 30. Both patients are treated at the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Dong Anh District, Hanoi.

The northern province of Hung Yen reported two cases, who are two women of Yen My district and had contact with patient 2060. Both of them are treated at the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Dong Anh District, Hanoi.

HCM City had two cases, No.2065 and 2066. Patient 2065 is a 43-year-old man, an employee of Vietnam Airlines’ southern branch, working in the cargo handling supervision division. Patient 2066 is a 25-year-old baggage handle at Tan Son Nhat airport. They are treated at Cu Chi field hospital, HCM City.

The Central Highlands province of Gia Lai reported one more patient, No. 2069, a 6-year-old girl in Ayun Pa town. She is treated at Ayunpa Town Medical Center, Gia Lai province.

Three imported cases were quarantined immediately after arrival. Two of them are Vietnamese citizens, with one returning from Japan and the other from the US. The third is a Costa Rica citizen arriving from the US.

As of February 9, the Tan Son Nhat Airport logged seven COVID-19 infections. The patients work at the baggage handling team at the airport apron. Besides, there were 25 other cases related to the airport's workers.

Right after receving information about infections at Van Don International Airport in Quang Ninh province, the city’s steering board for COVID-19 prevention and control decided to conduct mass testing for the airport's staff from January 30. All airport staff are tested for COVID-19 before they enter the next working day.

The same day, all 1,800 samples of workers of the Military Hospital 175 taken for the coronavirus test showed negative results. The testing was conducted after Patient 1,979, who is a luggage handler at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport, went there for medical examination on February 3 and 5.

While in the north, nearly 160 workers at the Van Don International Airport, who were put under quarantine, were negative for the virus twice, Sun Group said on February 9.

Earlier, the Ministry of Health reported the first locally-transmitted case in Quang Ninh - a security worker at the Van Don airport. Relating to the airport outbreak, Quang Ninh saw an additional ten cases who work at Noi Bai Airport's security team, Vietnam Air Petrol Company Limited (SKYPEC), air traffic control centre, and VOR station.

The Van Don airport has been shut down for 12 days, and is expected to reopen on February 21.

The national count now reaches 2,068, with 1,176 local cases.

Two more patients were given the all-clear, raising the total recoveries to 1,474, while the number of fatalities remained at 35.

Among patients still under treatment, 14 have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 once, 14 twice and four thrice.

More than 99,850 people are being quarantined across the country.

Thuy Hanh

HCM City suspends non-essential services from 12am on February 9

Facing the complicated situation of the Covid -19 epidemic, HCM City Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong has ordered temporary closure of establishments providing non-essential services in the city as from 12am on February 9 until further notice.