View source for Vietnam Says New COVID Outbreak Threatens Stability

<br>HANOI, May 9 (Reuters) - Vietnam reported 102 new COVID-19 infections on Sunday as the Southeast Asian country battled a fast-spreading outbreak which Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said threatened political stability if not brought under control.<br> <br>The new cases raised the total to 3,332 since the pandemic began, with 35 deaths, the Ministry of Health said.<br> <br>Vietnam has been praised for its record in containing its outbreaks quickly through targeted mass testing and a strict, centralised quarantine programme.<br> <br>But a new outbreak emerged late last month and  [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-du-lich-ha-giang-cao-nguyen-da-dong-van-3-ngay-2-dem.html tour hà nội hà giang] has spread rapidly in the country, [https://www.change.org/search?q=infecting infecting] 333 people in 25 cities and provinces, including the capital Hanoi, and leaving around 10 hospitals under lockdown.<br> <br>"The risk for the outbreak to spread nationwide is very high," Chinh said on Sunday.<br><br>"We need to deploy stronger measures to curb the outbreak.<br> <br>"If the outbreak spread nationwide,  [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-du-lich-ha-giang-cao-nguyen-da-dong-van-3-ngay-2-dem.html tour hà giang] it would affect political stability, people's health and the National Assembly and People's Council elections, and the consequence would be unpredictable."<br> <br>Chinh said coronavirus infections in neighbouring countries has put pressure on Vietnam, adding that illegal immigrants were among the prime sources of the virus.<br> <br>Of the 102 new cases, 92 were transmitted locally, the health ministry said. (Reporting by Khanh Vu; Editing by Toby Chopra and Nick Macfie)<br>