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4,267 local cases added to Vietnam’s Covid tally
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No groceries shortage, Hanoians assured as new Covid clusters appear
Vietnam’s ongoing outbreak continues to grow with 4,267 new domestic Covid-19 patients confirmed Wednesday morning in 17 localities, including 2,365 in HCMC, VNExpress citied a report from Health Ministry.
Of the new cases, 1,044 were recorded in the community and 3,223 in quarantine zones and areas that have been isolated.
Over three months into the new Covid wave, the fourth one and the most challenging Vietnam has faced yet, the nation has recorded 170,512 domestic cases in 62 of its 63 cities and provinces, with northern Cao Bang Province the only one that is yet to be infected.
Related: Why Vietnam’s COVID-19 vaccination drive has been too slow in many areas?
HCMC and Binh Duong account for most infections, 105,095 and 20,445 cases.
The country has vaccinated more than 7.29 million people against Covid-19, including 744,331 who have received two shots.
While several wholesale markets and supermarkets have halted operations because of Covid-19, alternative suppliers will ensure sufficient groceries for Hanoi residents, the trade ministry says.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade affirmed in a Tuesday post on its website that its Hanoi division has directed supermarkets to prepare measures to ensure sufficient grocery supplies in all situations.
The post followed a new Covid cluster being detected at Thanh Nga Supply Foods, a major beef supplier for several supermarkets and convenient stores in Hanoi, including VinMart, the biggest retail chain in Hanoi with nearly 1,000 outlets.
This lead to a stoppage of meat supply as well as closure and disinfecting of all stores to the company, VNExpress reported.
The Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade has been asked to arrange points of sale (including mobile ones) and deploy other selling methods to replace services provided by those forced to halt operations.
According to the department, there are 7,866 active points of sale and 455 traditional markets providing essential goods.
Hanoi has recorded 1,668 cases since the fourth Covid-19 wave struck Vietnam late April, according to VNExpress.
