Vietnam reports first coronavirus death amid new outbreak

Vietnam reported on Friday its first fatality from the coronavirus, following a recent surge of infections after the country went over three months without any local cases.

The Health Ministry said a man, aged 70, died from the disease after contracting the virus while receiving treatment for a kidney illness at a medical facility in Da Nang, The Associated Press reported.

Luong Ngoc Khue, head of the country’s Administration of Medical Examination and Treatment, said six other elderly patients with COVID-19 are in critical condition and have other underlying illnesses.

The country has grown to 104 confirmed cases with the recent outbreak, with half of the total infections receiving medical attention at the facility in Da Nang.

Infections are reportedly spread across six parts of Vietnam, including three major cities, causing the government to reimpose quarantine safety mandates.

The outbreak marks a stark contrast from the country’s previous handling of the coronavirus, going 99 days with zero infections reported by the health ministry. What was once viewed as a success story for Vietnam is turning into concerns from residents hoping to stay healthy amid the recent infection surge.

“I want to be tested so I can stop worrying if I have the virus or not. It is for me and for the community,” said Pham Thuy Hoa, a banking official who recently went to Da Nang for a family vacation, told the AP.

On Monday, the government made the decision to evacuate 80,000 people — mostly local tourists — from Da Nang after reports of virus outbreaks first came out, according to CNN.

Health officials have set up more than 100 clinics in Hanoi equipped with test kits, expecting to test nearly 21,000 people who recently returned from visits to Da Nang, the AP reported.

Da Nang went under lockdown on Tuesday, and city officials began creating makeshift hospitals and facilities from sports auditoriums. Doctors from neighboring cities have been brought in to aid amid the latest surge of outbreaks.