HANOI, Vietnam -- For 99 days, Vietnam seemed to have
defeated the coronavirus. There wasn’t a single reported case of community
transmission. Not a single death. A handful of cases were caught and isolated
at the border, but otherwise people were returning to their normal lives. The
country of 96 million people was hailed globally as a standout success.
But then a week ago, an outbreak began that has now grown to
48 cases in six parts of the country, including three of the largest cities,
and forced authorities to reimpose restrictions many thought they had put
behind them. And experts worry the outbreak could be much larger than currently
known.
The outbreak began last Thursday in the picturesque coastal
city of Da Nang, where thousands of tourists were taking their summer vacations
on golden beaches. A 57-year-old man was hospitalized with a fever and tested
positive. His condition soon worsened and he was put on a ventilator.
Health authorities swung into action. But the man’s case was
puzzling. He hadn’t left his hometown for over a month and tests on his family
and 100 other possible contacts all came back negative.
Then health workers found three other infections in Da Nang
over the weekend. And then on Monday, another 11. All of those were other
patients or health workers at the Da Nang Hospital, where the man remains in
critical condition.
No comments:
Post a Comment