Residents in Viet Yen District, Bac Giang Province have their samples taken for Covid-19 testing. Today’s Covid-19 tally hits a new record - PHOTO: VNA

HCMC – The Ministry of Health tonight, May 25, reported 290 new Covid-19 cases, raising the day's total number of infections to 447, the most infections recorded in a single day so far.

Of the new 290 cases, there were three imported cases in Tien Giang and 287 domestic cases, including 243 cases in Bac Giang. The province’s number of new cases today also hit a new record, at 375.

The Bac Giang government today asked some one million residents in Hiep Hoa, Tan Yen, Yen The, Luc Ngan and Son Dong districts and Bac Giang City not to leave their houses, starting today, except for those taking patients to hospitals and going to work and members of teams in charge of fighting Covid-19.

Although the local government has yet to officially announce social distancing, people in the entire province must employ strict measures as this Covid-19 wave is extremely dangerous and may last for a long time, said provincial chairman Le Anh Duong.

Local residents have been banned from gathering in public places. They can harvest their crops but must not gather with others. If they share machines and equipment, these machines and equipment must be sterilized before being handed over to others.

Workers in factories and construction sites must keep a safe physical distance from each other and work in shifts.

Meanwhile, employees of agencies and enterprises should work from home or in shifts as well.

After 375 workers in Bac Giang were confirmed as positive for Covid-19 this afternoon, the Ministry of Health held an urgent meeting with a special taskforce in the province and the provincial Department of Health. At the meeting, a representative of Bac Giang Province said most of new cases had been in close contact with other patients.

Up to 79% of F1 cases in SJ Tech Company have tested positive for Covid-19. At Hosiden Company, the rate is 55%.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son said the number of new Covid-19 cases in the province today tripled its highest number of new cases in a day. The 375 cases were detected after testing nearly 2,500 samples taken from May 22 to 25.

The number of new Covid-19 cases in the province will continue to surge in the coming days as the results of the remaining 50,000 samples have not been worked out.

The Ministry of Health has asked Cho Ray Hospital to dispatch two resuscitation teams to Bac Giang to support the province in treating patients in critical condition.