Authorities in Hanoi have collected samples for COVID-19 testing from 34,000 residents of an apartment complex in Hoang Mai District in the wake of 27 infections detected among them.

The 27 infections were discovered at the HH4C building of the HH Linh Dam apartment complex between August 8 and Friday, according to Hoang Mai District chairman Nguyen Minh Tam.

“We found 13 cases from August 8 to 18, one on Thursday, and 13 others during a mass testing session this morning,” Tam said on Friday.

Functional forces have conducted disinfection and contact tracing at the apartment complex following the detection. 

All of the patients were taken to medical facilities for treatment while their direct contacts were sent to Long Bien District for centralized quarantine.

Authorities also took samples from more than 2,000 residents of the HH4C building for COVID-19 testing on the same day.

“We will go on to test some 32,000 residents of 11 other buildings at the HH Linh Dam apartment complex,” Tam said.

The aforesaid apartment complex is considered an area with a high risk of infections, with local residents and visitors having symptoms of a fever, a cough, or difficulty breathing requested to contact medical centers for help, according to the chairman.

Medical workers collect samples for COVID-19 testing from residents of the HH Linh Dam apartment complex in Hoang Mai District, Hanoi, August 20, 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre

On Friday afternoon, deputy secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Nguyen Van Phong announced that the capital will continue to implement city-wide social distancing until 6:00 am on September 6 to better control the current COVID-19 outbreak.

The social distancing order under the prime minister’s Directive No. 16 has been in place in Hanoi since  July 24 amid the surge of COVID-19 cases.

Every day, the city records an average of 60 to 80 new cases, sometimes over 100 cases per day, with complicated clusters and community cases whose sources of infection have not been identified, according to Phong.

As of Saturday morning, Vietnam has documented 323,268 COVID-19 cases, with 132,815 recoveries and 7,540 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has detected 319,209 domestic transmissions in 62 out of 63 provinces and cities, including 2,716 in Hanoi, in this fourth bout.

Ho Chi Minh City is taking the lead with 167,717 patients.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!