Stores in Văn Giang Town, Văn Giang District in the northern province of Hưng Yên reopened on Thursday morning after social distancing order expired at midnight on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Phạm Kiên

HÀ NỘI — Viet Nam has gone more than a week since recorded a new coronavirus infection.

At 6pm on Thursday, the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Control announced no new cases of infection, meaning the total number of infections in Việt Nam has stayed at 268 for 7 and a half days.

Since the first case was confirmed in the country three months ago, no deaths have been caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. 

In addition, 224 COVID-19 patients in Việt Nam have made a full recovery.

Of the 44 active patients, three have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 once and eight have tested negative twice.

At present, 68,081 people are under quarantine at hospitals, concentrated quarantine centres or at home.

Among the active cases, two patients in Hà Nội – patient 19 and patient 161 – together with one patient in HCM City –patient 91 are said to have the most serious illness.

Patient 19 still requires a ventilator with a tracheostomy tube, has damage in the lungs and an irregular heartbeat, but their blood pressure has stabilised. The patient can communicate well.

Patient 161 is still on a ventilator through a tracheostomy tube, with normal blood pressure, no fever and slow communication. The patient still needs a feeding tube.

After the recovery and discharge from hospital of patient 206 on Thursday morning, HCM City now has only one active COVID-19 case, patient 91. The male patient is being treated at the HCM City Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

The patient still needs mechanical ventilation and ECMO support. He currently has no fever, normal blood pressure and is in a stable condition.

In the northern province of Hà Giang, the lockdown of Đồng Văn District was lifted on Friday morning after all suspected of having close contact with patient 268 tested negative for the coronavirus three times.

The district was put into lockdown on Thursday as a local ethnic minority girl living near the Việt Nam-China border tested positive. Her three brothers often cross the border to work in China. 

Thursday marked the start of loosened social distancing measures with Hà Nội, barring the suburban Mê Linh and Thường Tín districts, HCM City, Hà Giang and the northern province of Bắc Ninh being named in the medium-risk group. Non-essential stores are allowed to reopen.
Another 59 provinces were classified as low-risk. — VNS