Authorities in Hanoi on Sunday evening slapped a fine on Viet Duc University Hospital for failing to notify relevant agencies when detecting a new COVID-19 threat.

The fine is VND14 million (US$616), according to a decision issued by the People’s Committee of Hoan Kiem District, where the hospital is located.

According to Vietnamese law, hospitals must notify state health agencies when detecting an environment containing infectious agents, people suffering from group-A infectious diseases, people suspected of having group-A infectious diseases, or carriers of infectious diseases belonging to group A.

COVID-19 is classified as a group-A infectious disease in Vietnam.

The Center for Disease Control of Hanoi logged a total of 26 COVID-19 cases in the capital city and seven infections in Nam Dinh, Ha Tinh, Hung Yen, and Hai Duong Provinces that can be traced back to Viet Duc University Hospital between Thursday and Sunday afternoon.

The People’s Committee of Hoan Kiem District determined that “the infirmary’s administrative violation is of a large scale and is quite complicated.”

The authorities requested the hospital strictly abide by their sanction.

This is the first time that a hospital has been administratively punished for violations in COVID-19 pandemic prevention since the pathogen appeared in Vietnam early last year.

Discussing the issue with the Vietnam Government Portal on Sunday, Dr. Hoang Duc Hanh, former deputy director of the Hanoi Department of Health, said that “the new COVID-19 outbreak related to Viet Duc University Hospital is not a cause for concern.”

Hanoi has reported 4,239 local COVID-19 cases since a new wave of infections began in Vietnam on April 27.

Over 5.8 million of its eight million population have been given at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose.

The city had applied various social distancing levels since early July and just loosened the curbs on September 21.

Vietnam has confirmed 803,993 community transmissions in 62 out of its 63 provinces and cities in the ongoing bout, according to the Ministry of Health's data.

Ho Chi Minh City is the most impacted with 397,513 patients, followed by Binh Duong Province with 215,643, Dong Nai Province with 50,663, Long An Province with 32,694, and Tien Giang Province with 14,120.

A total of 19,715 patients have died of COVID-19 since the first-ever infection was confirmed in Vietnam on January 23, 2020. 

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