NEW COVID-19 STRAIN RECORDED IN VIETNAM

New patients suffering from COVID-19 in Đà Nẵng City and Quảng Ngãi Province are likely to have contracted the virus from different sources in the community, said acting Health Minister Nguyễn Thanh Long.

Speaking at a meeting with the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on Monday morning, he said genetic analysis revealed they were infected with a strain of SARS-CoV-2 new to Việt Nam but is common in several neighboring countries, the Vietnam news agency (VNA) reported. It is a more contagious strain, he said, adding that it's the sixth strain recorded in Việt Nam.

Experts at the meeting said that preliminary epidemiological investigations showed four COVID-19 cases in the community confirmed over the past weekend were linked to three hospitals in the central city of Đà Nẵng.

These health facilities are Đà Nẵng Hospital, Đà Nẵng Hospital C, and Đà Nẵng Orthopedic and Physical Rehabilitation Hospital. An additional 11 cases announced on Monday evening were all linked to Đà Nẵng Hospital.