An employee of Tan Phu District Hospital helps patients to receive essential commodities from shippers after the hospital is put under lockdown. Covid-19 has spread to 33 localities nationwide - PHOTO: VNA

HCMC - The Ministry of Health this morning, May 29, reported 87 new domestic Covid-19 cases in five localities, with the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai and the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu recording the first patients in the latest outbreak since April 27.

Bac Giang continued to have the highest number of Covid-19 infections at 57, followed by Bac Ninh with 27 cases. In addition, one each was detected in Bac Lieu, Gia Lai and Hanoi-based K Hospital.

Thus, the pandemic has spread to 33 localities nationwide. Today is the 33rd day of the new Covid-19 wave in Vietnam and more than half of the provinces in the country have reported Covid-19 cases.

Eight provinces--Yen Bai, Quang Ngai, Dong Nai, Nghe An, Quang Ninh, Quang Nam, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue--have gone 14 consecutive days without new Covid-19 cases.

On May 28, the Hanoi government ordered a suspension of all religious events in the city effective from 0 a.m. on May 29.

Explaining the decision, municipal vice chairman Le Hong Son said the pandemic was showing complicated development in the city with the sources of infection of new cases in apartment buildings and the headquarters of agencies and enterprises being unknown. In addition, HCMC on May 27 detected new cases linked to a religious sect.

The city also asked individuals and organizations not to invite foreigners to Vietnam for religious activities, especially those from pandemic-stricken areas.

On the same day, Hanoi Chairman Chu Ngoc Anh added new anti-Covid-19 measures in the city, such as encouraging agencies, except for healthcare, police and military ones, to allow their employees to work in shifts.

The municipal Department of Health was assigned to prepare resources and work out plans to mobilize experts, medical students and retired doctors if needed.