Hanoi officials have warned of increased risk of Covid-19 outbreaks, as it was reported that 66.6% of confirmed cases in the capital were found to be asymptomatic.
The data was presented by Nguyen Khac Hien from the municipal Department of Health at a meeting for novel coronavirus disease prevention and control, reports Tuoi Tre.
Asymptomatic people are those who carry the virus but show no symptoms. "No fever, no gastrointestinal issues, no breathing issues, no coughing, none of that," Tara C. Smith, an epidemiologist at Kent State University's College of Public Health, recently told NPR, which reported that a small clinical study in China found that such patients are often young, with a median age of 14.
While the news presents potentially fresh challenges in Vietnam’s fight against the pandemic, the country has effectively contained it thus far. At the time of writing, the total number of cases stands at 268, with 70 still in treatment. No deaths have been reported due to Covid-19 in Vietnam, which has been internationally praised for its quick and effective response to the virus.
Of Hanoi’s 124 recorded cases, 13 have been traced back to an outbreak in Ha Loi Village in the city’s Me Linh District — where over 11,847 individuals, including those in neighboring Lieu Tri Village, have been tested — with many others related to Bach Mai Hospital, which saw its own outbreak last month.
On April 15, many cities and provinces in Vietnam announced extensions of their social distancing programs put into place at the start of the month, with Hanoi and Saigon adding an additional week to the campaign.
