With 216 patients discharged, the number of active cases stands at 52, the Health Ministry confirmed. Of these 12 have tested negative once and eight twice.

The number of Covid-19 suspects has dropped by 19 from the previous day to 386, the ministry said. People are suspects if they have symptoms like cough, fever and shortness of breath, and have come from outbreak areas or have had direct contact with returnees from stricken areas.

Hanoi has gone a week without a new infection and HCMC has done so for 18 days. The capital city is treating 30 Covid-19 patients and the southern metropolis two.

The extended social distancing campaign that applies for both cities and ten other localities deemed to be at "high risk" of the Covid-19 virus spreading – Lao Cai, Quang Ninh, Bac Ninh, and Ninh Binh in the north; Da Nang, Quang Nam, Binh Thuan, Khanh Hoa, and Ha Tinh in the central region; and Tay Ninh in the south – ends today.

The government will set out the next steps this evening. 

The National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, spearheaded by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, has proposed that ministries and state agencies should prepare regulations to "live safely" with Covid-19, meaning gradually bringing back socio-economic activities to normal with strict preventive measures to protect people’s health and curb the spread of infection.

The Covid-19 pandemic, now in 210 countries and territories, has a reported death toll of more than 177,600.