25th March update on COVID-19 in Vietnam
Since yesterday, 11 new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Vietnam. This places the total number of cases in the country at 134 as of 10AM, 25th March 2020.
Worried about contracting the virus, Saigonese locals have started a new practical fashion trend – wearing hats with big plastic visors to protect themselves from respiratory droplets from other people.
11 new COVID–19 cases
Image credit: Thông tin chính phủ
Over the past 24 hours, Vietnam has reported 11 new COVID-19 cases. 4 of these are associated with Bar Buddha, a bar in District 2, Hồ Chí Minh City that cases 91, 97, and 98 visited before they were quarantined. They include:
- Case 124: a 52-year-old Brazilian man who lives in District 2, Hồ Chí Minh City. He was at the bar on 14th March.
- Case 125: A 22-year-old South African woman who lives in District 7, Hồ Chí Minh City. She was at the bar on 14th March.
- Case 126: A 28-year-old South African man who lives in District 7, Hồ Chí Minh City. He is friends with case 125 and visited the bar on the same day.
- Case 127: A 23-year-old Vietnamese man who lives in Tân Phú District, Hồ Chí Minh City. He is a waiter at Bar Buddha.
Cases 128 and 129 are two 20-year-old male students studying abroad in the UK. They returned to Hanoi on the same flight on 20th March.
Cases 130, 131, and 132 were passengers on flight SU290 returning to Hanoi from Spain on 22nd March. They include:
- A 30-year-old man who lives in Bình Chánh District, Hồ Chí Minh City.
- A 23-year-old man who lives in Bình Chánh District, Hồ Chí Minh City.
- A 25-year-old woman who lives in Long Biên District, Hanoi.
Case 133 is a 66-year-old woman who lives in Lai Châu province. In March, she visited the Bạch Mai Hospital in Hanoi, where cases 86 and 87 work. She started developing symptoms on 22nd March and was quarantined the next day.
Case 134 is a 10-year-old boy who lives in Thạch Thất District, Hà Nội. He returned from Spain on 18th March.
Saigonese wear visor hats to protect themselves
Image credit: @hn.shops
Amidst the pandemic, a trend has emerged in Hồ Chí Minh City where many people have started buying hats with a plastic visor attached, in order to protect themselves.
Mr Ngô Thanh Tùng, a hat seller in the city, told VNExpress that his customers have more than doubled since he started selling these hats, all of which are made in Vietnam.
“Of course these hats cannot offer 100% protection, but they do help in blocking respiratory droplets from other people,” he said.
Ms. Hải Huỳnh Thanh Tâm, a customer, shared, “It’s a bit inconvenient at first, but I think I can get used to it. It’s a temporary solution to help me get through the pandemic.”
The need for social distancing in Vietnam during COVID-19
The number of COVID-19 cases in Vietnam is rising by the day, and the fact that nearly 10 people were infected at the same bar shows how important it is to heed the government’s warning to avoid public places.
Simply by staying home, we can already contribute to the fight against the virus. Hopefully the situation will improve soon.
For more COVID-19 stories, check out:
- Hanoi restaurant uses drone to serve food to customers to avoid close contact
- Vietnam war widow sews face masks to combat COVID-19
- HCMC man uses rope-and-pulley system to get his food delivery order
- 17 Vietnamese people discuss how COVID-19 has affected them
Cover image adapted from: Thông tin chính phủ, @hn.shops
Enjoying The Smart Local Vietnam? Follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn for more stories like this.