The number of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients traced to a major hospital in Hanoi mounted to 18 on Sunday, when Vietnam’s Ministry of Health confirmed 14 new infections in total.

The 18 patients include health workers, patients, patients’ visitors, and catering staff linked to Bach Mai Hospital in the capital city, the ministry said.

The hospital has been locked down since Saturday.

About 7,000 health workers, patients, patients’ relatives, and service providers’ staff have been tested for the virus, with over 5,000 returning negative at the time of writing.

Hanoi authorities are leaving no stone unturned to suppress the outbreak at the hospital, tracking the infected patients’ close contacts and those having been there since March 12 for monitoring, isolation, testing.

Bach Mai is a special-grade hospital and the largest general hospital in Vietnam.

It treats a daily average of 6,000 outpatients and 4,000 inpatients, while receiving 4,000 visitors of the sick in addition to having thousands of health workers.

In Ho Chi Minh City, authorities have announced 13 people sickened by the virus after visiting Buddha Bar&Grill at No. 7 Thao Dien Street in Thao Dien Ward, District 2.

Hundreds have been traced after they were found to come to the bar on the same day as a British pilot, who was confirmed as the primary spreader at the bar.

Vietnam has confirmed a total of 188 COVID-19 patients so far, with 25 having been discharged from the hospital.

Hanoi is treating 67 patients while there are 38 actives cases in Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnam is ramping up its battle against the novel coronavirus, saying it must keep the patient count under 1,000 from now until April 5.

It has banned mass gatherings and required citizens to avoid going out if not necessary and to wear face masks whenever outdoors.

The country has closed non-essential services like bars, pubs, clubs, massage parlors, kaorake lounges, cinemas, tourist sites, and online game centers, among others.

The central government has ordered restaurants in major cities like Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, and Can Tho City to offer takeaways and deliveries while telling diners in the other provinces to serve no more than 10 customers at a time.

Vietnam is isolating and monitoring 3,215 suspected cases, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has quarantined 75,085 people in close contact with infected patients and returning from COVID-19-hit regions.

A total of 35,808 people have been tested, 35,620 results coming out negative.

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