No new COVID-19 cases were detected on February 19 morning, keeping the national count at 2,347, including 1,448 community infections, according to the Ministry of Health.

Earlier eighteen cases of COVID-19 were found on February 18, all in the northern province of Hai Duong, taking the overall number of local infections in the coronavirus hotbed to 575.

According to the provincial steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control, Hai Duong – the nation’s current largest COVID-19 hotspot - has basically brought five major outbreaks under control and has carried out stringent lockdown measures since February 16 with nearly 950 control stations set up across the province to monitor entry and exit.

The total figure of recovered patients reached 1,605 after a further 25 coronavirus patients were discharged from hospital on February 18.

Elsewhere, Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Health has urged returnees from other provinces and cities over the past 14 days to finalize health declarations amid the unpredictable COVID-19 situation across the nation.

According to the Center for Disease Control in HCM City, the city is continuing to conduct extensive screening in the community, especially at public transport areas in order to assess the risk of the disease.

Meanwhile, the Hanoi Department of Health also requested health declarations and samples taken from February 18-20 for all arrivals in or returnees from 12 pandemic-hit localities.

Among patients still undergoing treatment, 163 have tested negative for the SARS-CoV-2 virus at least once or several times.

Since the pandemic broke out in northern localities in late January, 755 new cases were detected in the community, with Hai Duong being the biggest coronavirus epicenter with 575 cases, followed by Quang Ninh with 60, HCM City with 36 and Hanoi 35.