HCMC – If the Chinese who illegally enter HCMC are not detected and quarantined, they may be the source of Covid-19 community transmission and lead to new Covid-19 hotspots, according to the HCMC Center for Disease Control (HCDC).
On August 14, the Ministry of Health confirmed 18 new Covid-19 cases, including a 27-year-old Chinese man in HCMC. He illegally entered Vietnam and was later found in HCMC and taken to a local quarantine facility, Tuoi Tre Online newspaper reported.
According to HCDC, this is the first Covid-19 case in the city involving a foreigner illegally entering Vietnam.
If these cases are not discovered, the fight against the pandemic will be tougher as HCMC has a large population and is a trade hub of the country.
HCDC asked the community and competent agencies to work out measures to prevent any illegal entry, as the consequences will be serious if foreigners illegally entering Vietnam are not detected.
HCDC also proposed heavy sanctions against foreigners illegally entering Vietnam and those helping them.
According to the center, since May, the city has detected 152 people illegally entering the city, with 72% being Chinese, 11% being Cambodians and the remaining being Vietnamese and South Koreans. They have all been quarantined in centralized quarantine centers and have had their samples tested for Covid-19.
