Three Vietnamese workers who tested positive for new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection after returning from a training trip in Wuhan were released from hospital Monday.
The patients – two women, aged 23 and 29, and a 30-year-old man – all hail from Vinh Phuc Province, 40 km from Hanoi. They were among the eight workers of Japan-based Nihon Plast Company sent to Wuhan City, the center of the new, deadly pneumonia coronavirus outbreak, last November. They returned to Vietnam on January 17. VNExpress, a local media reports.
The trio was treated at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hanoi. After 14 days in isolation, all patients showed no fever, coughing and breathing complications. Subsequent testing via RT-PCR revealed they were free of the new coronavirus. Currently, their health remains stable, doctors confirmed.
The 23-year-old woman from Binh Xuyen Town, Vinh Phuc, commenced work one day after returning from Wuhan. Over the next 10 days, she came into close contact with many family members. On January 25, the patient suffered high fever and coughing, and was taken to hospital where she was confirmed positive for coronavirus. She is the first coronavirus case in Vinh Phuc and has infected four others, including relatives.
The 29-year-old woman from Binh Xuyen lived in a dormitory in Wuhan with seven others. One day after returning home, she also commenced work before travelling home to celebrate the Lunar New Year on January 23. The patient’s family are currently isolated at a local health center for observation following exposure.
During her stay at home, the patient showed no signs of fever, coughing or shortness of breath. She only experienced a dry cough on January 27, but no fever. On January 31, she was hospitalized and tested positive for coronavirus.
The 30-year-old man from Tam Dao District visited many supermarkets across Wuhan during training, staying in a dormitory with seven others. On January 23, after returning home, he joined a company party attended by 13 colleagues.
The patient started showing symptoms of fever on January 26. Three days later, he suffered from coughing fits, and was hospitalized on February 1, testing positive for coronavirus. He stopped coughing and having fever on February 6.
The country had confirmed 14 cases of coronavirus infection as of Sunday morning, with nine in Vinh Phuc, three in HCMC and one each in Khanh Hoa and Thanh Hoa. Among eight workers returning from Wuhan, six tested positive for the virus, and two others are awaiting results.
Vietnam has so far discharged six patients from hospital after doctors declared them free of the new coronavirus.
Earlier, Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, 25, a native of Thanh Hoa Province in north central Vietnam, one of the eight Vietnamese workers returning from Wuhan, Le Thi Thu Ha, a 25-year-old hotel receptionist in Nha Trang, and Chinese man Li Zichao, 28, had recovered and been discharged from hospital.
According to Vinh Phuc’s health department, 249 locals who previously came in contact with the nine infected patients are now quarantined and under observation.
Doan Thanh Binh, chief of the provincial health department, said local authorities ordered construction of two field hospitals, ready to cope with the coronavirus outbreak as the province was hardest hit by the epidemic.
The two hospitals will be established with approximately 200 beds.
Vietnam’s government declared the novel coronavirus an epidemic on February 1. All provinces and cities across the country have since announced school breaks until next Sunday, awaiting further notice.
The global death toll has reached 910, with 908 dying in mainland China, and one each in the Philippines and Hong Kong.
By Thuy Quynh @ VNExpress