HCMC – Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, Can Tho, An Giang and Kien Giang in the Mekong Delta have tightened restrictive measures as they have seen a big spike in new Covid-19 cases.
Bac Lieu Province is now at extremely high risk of Covid transmission, or at level 4 (red zone). Over the past three days, Bac Lieu Province has reported 1,200 new cases, a record high in the province as of now. Of them, there are 459 cases whose source of transmission remains unknown.
The province yesterday detected over 380 new cases, including 167 with unknown sources of infection. The transmission risk color of Gia Rai Town and Bac Lieu City turns red.
Gia Rai Town remains the biggest coronavirus hotspot with 57 cases linked to three fisheries firms, followed by Bac Lieu City with 51 cases, reported the local media.
Provincial chairman Nguyen Van Thieu raised the Covid transmission risk level in Bac Lieu from 2 (yellow) to 4 (red), or from moderate to extremely high risk, starting today, November 2.
The Bac Lieu leader asked all of the frontline workers to closely coordinate with a special task force dispatched by the HCMC-based Cho Ray Hospital to slow the spread of the high contagious Delta coronavirus variant. Areas at extremely high risk were also urged to set up Covid checkpoints.
Bac Lieu has reported more than 3,600 cases in the fourth wave of infections, with nearly 1,200 of them having recovered and 29 dead. The province has vaccinated over 424,000 people, with some 105,000 of them fully vaccinated.
The neighboring province of Soc Trang yesterday reported nearly 200 new infections, sending its total so far to over 5,500, with almost 3,600 of them having recovered and 49 dead. Given a big rise in locally-infected cases in recent days, Soc Trang’s chairman Tran Van Lau declared the province’s transmission risk at Level 2 starting today, from the previous Level 1 (low risk), which represents green color.
As for its Covid immunization rates, more than 84% of people 18 and older in Soc Trang have got their first shots, and over 16% have been fully inoculated.
In Can Tho City, it reported a major spike in new cases yesterday, at 434, according to the city’s health authority. It also recorded a triple-digit number in fresh cases two days ago.
Since July 8, its tally has surpassed 8,000 cases, with some 6,100 of them discharged from hospitals and 101 dead.
Over the past few days, Can Tho detected many major infection clusters at the Can Tho Central General Hospital, some locations in Ninh Kieu and Cai Rang districts and two seafood processing plants in the Thot Not and Tra Noc industrial parks.
Similar to Soc Trang, Can Tho also adjusted its transmission risk from Level 1 to Level 2 from yesterday.
Up to now, 93% of people 18 and older in Can Tho have been given the first shots and 27% have got the second shots.
In An Giang Province, it reported over 1,900 new cases last week. Yesterday, it witnessed the highest single-day rise in new cases with more than 340. Its Long Xuyen City decided to tighten anti-virus measures, asking eateries to stop dine-in services. Local people in the province were also asked to refrain from going out for non-essential purposes from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
An Giang took the third place in cases in the delta, with over 11,000 cases in total, just after Long An and Tien Giang.
As for Kien Giang Province, it saw nearly 1,400 new cases last week, soaring over 200% week-on-week. It also recorded the highest daily spike of new cases yesterday, at 469. Among the localities that reported a growing number of fresh cases, Rach Gia City has raised the transmission risk in many areas citywide from Level 3 to Level 4.
