A medical staff takes samples from people at Hà Nội Lung Hospital in Hai Bà Trưng District's Thanh Nhàn Street after 26 COVID-19 infection cases are detected. VNA/VNS Photo Hoàng Hiếu

HÀ NỘI – A further 12 cases of COVID-19 infection were confirmed at the Hà Nội Lung Hospital Monday afternoon. This brings the total confirmed cases at the hospital to 26.

The hospital which was locked down earlier today by the People’s Committee of Hai Bà Trưng District will remain as such for 14 days from 6pm on Sunday. 

A total of 29 people connected to the hospital have tested positive for COVID-19 via rapid testing, however, only 26 have been confirmed by the Hà Nội Centre for Disease Control.

The test results of the remaining cases will be announced later, he said.

Dr Phạm Hữu Thường, director of the hospital, said the source of infection is unknown. The hospital has been tracing and conducting an epidemiological investigation but there are no results as yet.

The hospital has now taken samples of 400 people involved in the outbreak up from 323 reported earlier today.

The first positive COVID-19 case at the hospital was a female patient from Tây Hồ District. The woman had previously been treated for an unrelated matter at the Department of Internal Medicine where she was admitted on June 22. She was discharged from the hospital on July 22 in good health.

On July 25, she had a fever and went to the Phương Đông Hospital for a medical check-up at which point she tested positive for the virus.

Previously, in early May, two medical facilities were locked down after a cluster of infections were found at the Kim Chung facility at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Đông Anh District, and the Tân Triều facility at the National Cancer Hospital (frequently called K Hospital) in Thanh Trì District. VNS