On the afternoon of May 28, 58 suspected cases of Covid-19 linking to the religious mission were recorded and this number is expected to continue to increase.
Prof. Dr. Nguyen Tan Binh warns Covid-19 cases linking to the religious mission will continue rising (Photo: SGGP)
Of 58 people, 32 of them are members of the religious mission while the remaining are living near the church and close contacts of Covid-19-infected people. 708 people are F1; however, 639 samples of them are negative for the first tests while 69 are waiting for the result.
Of 11,644 samples of contact F2, 5,688 people tested negative while 5,986 others are waiting for the test result. Most of them are living in Thu Duc City, districts 12, Tan Phu, Hoc Mon.
Prof. Dr. Nguyen Tan Binh said the pastor's wife traveled by plane from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City from April 23 to April 29. She suffered Covid-19 symptoms but she opted for self-medication at home.
The city's health sector discovered her after three people were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Immediately, the elderly woman was brought to a centralized isolation area and she is now being treated for severe pneumonia at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases.
The Hospital for Tropical Diseases yesterday conducted a genome sequencing approach from five patients in with variant B.1.617.2 (Indian variant). These members of the religious mission live in an enclosed small area of about 50 square meters. Worse, the new Covid-19 variant has airborne transmission, social distancing is not enough to cut the risk indoors.
A member of the religious mission, who was also positive for SARS-CoV-2, has gone to the Central - Highland Province of Gia Lai’s Pleiku City, said Professor-Dr Nguyen Tan Binh.
Worse, a member of the religious mission is working in Quang Trung Software Park and work for a canteen in an industrial park in Tan Binh District. As a result, three of his co-workers in Quang Trung Software Park were tested positive and the city authorities have sealed off the building in the industrial park in Tan Binh District.
After receiving the news of the couple who were tested positive at Hoan My Sai Gon Hospital, the city has blocked the two commercial banks where the couple are working. Scientists of the Hospital for Tropical Diseases are working on genome sequencing.
