Although the number of COVID-19 cases in Hanoi has tended to increase in recent weeks, the health sector believes that the situation is still under control and no unusual developments have been recorded. Experts recommend that people should proactively prevent the disease, especially during the increased time of socializing, traveling and gathering crowds during the summer tourist season.
According to the Hanoi Center for Disease Control (CDC), in the week from July 17 to July 24, the whole city recorded 185 cases of COVID-19 in 76 wards and communes. Accumulated from the beginning of 2026 to date, Hanoi recorded 588 cases scattered in 109 wards and communes, with no deaths recorded.
Compared to the same period in 2025, the number of COVID-19 cases in Hanoi is currently significantly lower (588 cases compared to 2,131 cases). However, in recent weeks, the number of cases has tended to increase again, causing many people to worry about the risk of an outbreak.
Faced with this development, the Hanoi CDC affirmed that this is not yet an unusual sign of the epidemic. People should not panic but should not be subjective in implementing measures to prevent and control respiratory infections.
Dr. Dao Huu Than - Deputy Director of Hanoi CDC - said that COVID-19 is no longer a new infectious disease but has become a circulating disease in the community, similar to many other respiratory diseases such as seasonal flu.
“COVID-19 may have increased episodes at different times of the year. However, the possibility of widespread outbreaks like the early stages of the pandemic is very low,” Dr. Dao Huu Than assessed.
According to the Hanoi CDC, along with COVID-19, some other respiratory infections such as seasonal flu and Adenovirus disease are also on the rise. The causes are identified as being related to people increasing travel, participating in extracurricular activities, entertainment, and gathering crowds during summer vacation.
To date, Hanoi has not recorded signs of a new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus or detected epidemiological abnormalities. Although the number of cases has increased, the disease situation is still at a level equivalent to recent years and there are no signs of concern.
According to the Department of Disease Prevention (Ministry of Health), the national infectious disease surveillance system and reports from some medical examination and treatment facilities show that the number of COVID-19 patients coming for examination and treatment in recent times has tended to increase.
However, no unusual increase in the number of severe cases or deaths has been recorded yet.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), by the end of June 2026, the variant NB. 1.8.1 - a subtype of Omicron - is circulating mainly globally and in the Western Pacific region. There is currently no evidence that this variant worsens the disease or reduces the effectiveness of epidemic prevention and control measures.
Explaining the reasons for the increase in COVID-19 and seasonal flu at this time, the Department of Disease Prevention said that Vietnam is entering the peak of summer vacation, the demand for travel, tourism, socializing and participating in crowded events is increasing sharply.
In addition, hot and humid weather makes many people often live in closed spaces with air conditioning, limiting air circulation. This is a favorable environment for respiratory viruses to spread.
Seasonal flu circulates year-round in Vietnam and tends to increase during the summer-autumn transition. COVID-19 and seasonal flu are mainly transmitted through the respiratory tract, especially in crowded places such as airports, train stations, public transport, schools, medical facilities and tourist destinations.
According to the assessment of the Ministry of Health, there is currently no evidence that SARS-CoV-2 virus or seasonal flu virus has abnormal changes in virulence. Most people with the disease have mild symptoms and recover after treatment.
However, the risk of severe progression can still occur in high-risk groups such as the elderly, young children, pregnant women, people with cardiovascular disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes, kidney disease, people with immunodeficiency or undergoing cancer treatment.
