The Vietnamese authorities will criminally prosecute those who violate the prevention and control measures of coronavirus in Ho Chi Minh City and interrupted a chain of 88 days without community infections in the country.
An official from the Department of Public Security of that southern city said that infractions by these people and of some entities involved had serious consequences, for which they must be punished rigorously, in accordance with article 240 of the Criminal Law.
The interruption of the sequence without autochthonous infections occurred three days ago in Ho Chi Minh City when a Vietnam Airlines flight attendant violated the regulations during his stay in a centralized quarantine area.
The so-called 1,342 patient acquired the virus from a colleague of the airline itself that tested positive, and then, at his home, he had close contact with his mother and two friends. He also visited the city's Technological University, where there had been no internal contagions for 120 days.
One of his friends, the now 1,347 patient, gave lectures at various centers specializing in the English language and frequented a cafe and a karaoke room, all in different districts. It is known that, at the moment, he infected a student and a one-year-old baby.
The events have forced the health authorities to carry out intense tracking efforts to prevent a re-outbreak of the disease.
In Ho Chi Minh City, samples of 2,244 people related to these four patients were collected. Of these, 1,632 were negative and the rest are awaiting results.
The situation has the government, health authorities and citizens on edge, because it could lead to a situation like the one that originated on July 25 in the central city of Da Nang.
Until that day, the country only reported 417 patients, zero deaths and 99 days without internal transmissions, but then -for undetermined causes- there was a re-outbreak that spread to other territories and triggered the figures to the current ones.
Yesterday the cases reached 1,361, but on account of two recently repatriated nationals and a foreign expert who returned to fulfill his contract. Meanwhile, eight patients were discharged from hospital and the number of recovered increased to 209. The death toll remains at 35 for 90 days.
Meanwhile, more than 16,500 people are quarantined in hospitals, specialized centers or at home, the vast majority Vietnamese returned from other countries where they were surprised by the pandemic. ■