Vietnam confirmed nine new coronavirus infections Thursday, which bring the country’s total to 85.
Of the nine, four are in Hanoi and five in Ho Chi Minh City, all of them returning from abroad, the Ministry of Health said.
Related: Vietnam reports 8 new coronavirus cases, total hits 76
“Case 77th” is a 25-year-old female in Hanoi’s Nhan Chinh Ward, Thanh Xuan District. She’s a Vietnamese student in the U.K. who returned to Hanoi’s Noi Bai airport on March 17 on flight QR976. Upon arrival, she was taken into quarantine and later tested positive for the coronavirus.
“Case 78th” is a 22-year-old male in Hanoi’s Bac Tu Liem District. He’s also a Vietnamese student in the U.K., who returned to Noi Bai on March 17 on flight EK394. He’s been confirmed to be infected on March 19. Both the patients are being quarantined in the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases. Their health are stable.
“Case 79th” is a 48-year-old female in Dong Hai District of the Mekong Delta’s Bac Lieu Province. She’s been living in the U.K. for the last two years. She flew from London to Dubai on March 14 on flight EK4. Then she returned to Vietnam on flight EK392 which landed on March 15. At the point of arrival she had no display of symptoms, but was quarantined in Saigon’s District 12.
On March 16, she had a fever and was sent to the Cu Chi field hospital, where it was revealed that her lungs were damaged. She was tested positive for the first time on March 17 and another time on March 18. She’s being treated and quarantined in the Cu Chi Field Hospital.
“Case 80th” is an 18-year-old male, also in Dong Hai District of Bac Lieu Province and is the son of “Case 79th”. He’s also been living in the U.K for two years, before accompanying his mother and returned to Vietnam on the same flight. He had shown no symptoms and tested positive on March 18. “Case 80” is being treated and quarantined in the same hospital as his mother.
“Case 81st” is a 20-year-old male resident in Konplong District of the Central Highlands’ Kon Tum Province. He flew from Paris to Vietnam on flight AF258 on March 14, before landing on March 15. He displayed no symptom upon arrival and was quarantined in District 12. He tested positive on March 19.
“Case 82nd” is a 16-year-old female in Saigon’s District 5. She flew with her mother from London to Dubai on flight EK30 on March 14. She then returned to Vietnam on March 15, and also displayed no symptom upon arrival and is being quarantined in District 12. She tested positive on March 19.
“Case 83rd” is a 50-year-old American woman in Saigon’s Binh Thanh District. She was on flight TK612 from Turkey’s Istanbul to Vietnam which landed on March 15. Within 14 days before her arrival in Vietnam, she had also visited Thailand’s Phuket. Upon arrival, she was not coughing or experiencing a fever and shortness of breath. She was quarantined in District 12 before testing positive on March 19.
“Case 84th” is a 21-year-old male in Hanoi’s Dong Da District. A Vietnamese student in the U.K., he returned to Noi Bai airport on flight VN54 on March 18. He tested positive on March 19 and is being quarantined in the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Dong Anh. His health is stable.
“Case 85th” is a 20-year-old male in Hanoi’s Ba Dinh District. Also a Vietnamese student in the U.K., he returned to Noi Bai on flight VN54 on March 18. He tested positive on March 19 and is being quarantined in the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Dong Anh. His health is stable.
According to Nguyen Duc Chung, chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee, Noi Bai International Airport would receive more Vietnamese people coming from abroad in coming days. The city will have to prepare quarantine area for around 10,000 people. Chung added that Hanoi has set up more quarantine areas for Covid-19 prevention and control such as two buildings for students in Hoang Mai District and a vocational training college in Nam Tu Liem District’s Tay Mo Ward.
The official noted that if possible, companies need to allow their staff to work online; meanwhile, people who have to go to a workplace have to be given frequent temperature checks. He advised all shops to be closed, except for pharmacies and those selling necessities. People should stay at home as much as possible for the epidemic prevention, Chung warned.
The country has recorded 69 coronavirus infections since March 6 after going 22 days without any new case. 16 have been cured and discharged from hospitals.
Fifteen cities and provinces have coronavirus patients with northern provinces of Hai Duong and Bac Ninh being the latest coronavirus-hit localities. VNExpress, Vietnamese news channel reports.
The coronavirus pandemic has spread to 177 countries and territories, claiming over 9,300 lives.