HCMC – The Ministry of Health this evening, July 8, reported 645 new Covid-19 cases, including seven imported cases and 638 domestic infections, taking the day’s Covid-19 count to 1,314, breaking the record set on July 5 when 1,089 cases were recorded.
As for the imported cases, three were detected in Khanh Hoa and two each in Kien Giang and Tay Ninh.
Of the total community-transmitted cases, HCMC continued to account for the most, at 481 cases. In addition, 55 other cases were recorded in Binh Duong, 25 in Khanh Hoa, 17 each in Dong Thap and Vinh Long and 11 in Phu Yen.
Meanwhile, Bac Giang reported six cases; Ca Mau, Quang Ngai, Bac Ninh and Hanoi had four each; Binh Phuoc detected three, Hung Yen confirmed two; and Tay Ninh, Hau Giang, Kien Giang, Binh Thuan and Ben Tre detected one each.
As many as 615 cases were found at quarantine centers and in areas under lockdown.
Today, 393 patients were announced to have recovered from Covid-19, raising the country’s total number of recovered patients to 8,950.
The new cases in HCMC sent the city’s Covid-19 count today to 915, also the most infections recorded in the city in a single day so far. The city has passed eight consecutive days with more than 400 Covid-19 cases per day.
The latest Covid-19 wave has spread to 57 cities and provinces nationwide, with the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang reporting its first Covid-19 case in the wave. It was also the last southern province to be hit by the pandemic.
From 0 a.m. on July 9, HCMC will practice stringent social distancing in accordance with the prime minister’s Directive 16. During the 15-day social distancing period, HCMC will reinstall 12 Covid-19 checkpoints on roads connecting the city with its four neighboring provinces.
In the municipal government’s guidelines on social distancing, the municipal Police Department was assigned to allocate staff to the checkpoints, and coordinate with the relevant agencies to ensure social order at the checkpoints, facilities, centers and areas under lockdown, and trace possible Covid-19 cases.
Dong Nai Province has also ordered strict social distancing according to Directive 16 throughout its precincts, effective from 0 a.m. July 9.
Following Hanoi, which has suspended public passenger transport services between it and 14 other virus-hit provinces and cities, the Binh Dinh government has also suspended such services from/to Ben Tre, Can Tho, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Quang Nam and Nghe An from 12 p.m. today to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Specifically, taxis, contract-based vehicles, passenger cars and coaches operating on fixed routes must suspend their services until further notice.
Binh Dinh’s passenger transport vehicles passing through the five localities must not stop in these localities for pick-ups and drop-offs.
The Binh Dinh Department of Transport asked the management boards of coach stations to keep a close watch on the pandemic in other localities and promptly propose the suspension or resumption of transport services.
