Vietnamese authorities announced Saturday the country will test the entire population of a tourist destination that's quickly become a coronavirus hotspot.
For over three months, Vietnam had no new cases of community-transmitted coronavirus. But in mid-July, things started to change for the worse. The first new cases were reported in Da Nang, a coastal resort city. Over the course of just a few days, the country was dealing with a rapid-spreading outbreak.
It spread to six cities and provinces in less than a week. In total, Vietnam has counted almost 600 infections.
Now all 1.1 million Da Nang residents are set to be tested for the virus. Up to 10,000 people will be tested per day.
Medical researchers in Vietnam are investigating the possibility that the new COVID-19 cases are a new strain of the virus. The Vietnamese Ministry of Health says this strain is "more infectious."
