A medical staff takes samples from a man for coronavirus testing in
Hanoi's Me Linh District, April 10, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy. 

The number of active Covid-19 cases stood unchanged from Friday evening at 113, the Health Ministry said early Saturday. 

In the previous 24 hours, two more patients were confirmed, one community transmission case in Hanoi and a returnee from Russia, keeping the nation’s tally at 257.

The number of discharged Covid-19 patients went up by 16 to 144 Friday.

Of the 113 active cases, eight have tested negative twice and 20, once.

Hanoi still leads the nation in the number of Covid-19 infections with 120 cases, of whom 58 have been discharged; followed by HCMC with 54 cases and 40 discharges.

Hanoi’s Party chief Vuong Dinh Hue said late Friday that people in the city have been seen going out in large numbers in recent days, when the nation is still in the 15-day social distancing period that would end April 15.

As the city has recorded at least two cases with unknown transmission source that have transmitted the infection to many others, the epidemic situation remains "complicated," Hue said.

"We’re absolutely cannot be neglectful and let our guard down. The closer we are to winning this fight against Covid-19, the more difficulties we will face," he said.

"Following the social distancing rules is a hard task but that is an extremely important step for us to prevent the epidemic (from spreading further)."

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked law enforcement agencies to strictly discipline those violating social distancing rules and not wearing face masks in public places, saying "the results we have achieved so far are quite encouraging but the threat remains unchanged."

The Covid-19 pandemic has claimed 102,600 lives as it spread to 210 countries and territories.