Da Nang confirmed 167 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, August 20, of which, 108 were in concentrated quarantine, 12 were in local locked-down areas and the remaining 43 were discovered in the community, the municipal Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control reported.

Out of the community-acquired cases, 26 were detected from the citywide ‘one door-one test’ campaign, under which the only one representative of each local family who is aged over1 8 tests for the virus.

In detail, Hoa Vang District recorded 3 cases (with each in Hoa Chau and Hoa Phu communes), Cam Le District with 2 cases (in Hoa Xuan Ward), Hai Chau District with 9 cases (in Hoa Cuong Bac, Hoa Cuong Nam and Thuan Phuoc wards), Lien Chieu District with 1 case (in Hoa Khanh Bac Ward) and Thanh Khe District with 11 cases (in the Hoa Khe, Tam Thuan, Thanh Khe Dong, Vinh Trung wards).

It is highly concerning that 98 out of the 169 positive cases recorded on Friday were linked to the high-risk cluster of infections at the Hoa Cuong Wholesale Market, the largest of its kind in Central Viet Nam.

Total number of infected patients involved in this infection chain has climbed to 592 till date, of whom 210 are traders and labourer working at the market, 37 were shoppers and 345 were direct/indirect contacts.

Of special note, Friday recorded 8 COVID-19 patients who joined COVID-19 prevention and control forces, namely 2 staffers on duty at blockaded venues in Hoa Cuong Bac Ward, Hai Chau District.

The chain of infection in the sealed-off areas in Son Tra District has shown signs of subsiding with the detection of only 6 cases on the same days.

It is highly concerning that, out of the above-mentioned 167 cases, 50 were of unknown source of infection, of which some were founded via the ‘one door-one test’ approach and during examinations at medical facilities due to suspicious symptoms.

The total infections recorded in the city have risen to 2,464 since July 10.

Reporting by PHAN CHUNG – Translating by A.T