HCMC records three more Covid-19 infections

By Chi Nguyen    March 23, 2020 | 12:41 am PT
HCMC records three more Covid-19 infections
Doctors wear protective gears at Cu Chi Field Hospital in HCMC, February 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran.
Two foreigners and a Vietnamese living in Ho Chi Minh City were confirmed infected with the novel coronavirus Monday, raising the country’s tally to 121.

"Patient 119" is a 29-year-old American man residing in Binh Thanh District. He works with the Boston Consulting Group, a financial consulting company, on the 13th floor of mPlaza Saigon on Le Duan Street in District 1.

From March 1-15, he traveled frequently between Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand, but could not recall all the flight details. He went to work normally and also visited some entertainment facilities.

On March 19, he showed symptoms of fever, cough and a sore throat. A day later, he visited the FV Hospital in the city for a health check and his swab samples were confirmed Covid-19 positive Monday.

"Patient 120" is a 27-year-old Canadian man who works as an English teacher and lives at the Masteri apartment building in District 2. He entered Vietnam on February 11. During his stay in HCMC, he had close contact with a British pilot of Vietnam Airlines, who had tested Covid-19 positive earlier. They met at a number of restaurants and entertainment facilities.

After the pilot was confirmed Covid-19 positive, the Canadian was placed under isolation in District 2 and his swab samples were tested though he hadn’t showed any symptoms. On March 21, he had fever and a dry cough; and was transferred to the Cu Chi Field Hospital for isolation and treatment.

"Patient 121" is a 58-year-old Vietnamese man residing in Tan Binh District. On March 18, he and his wife flew from New York to Vietnam on ANA Airline flight NH831 that transited at Japan’s Narita airport. The couple landed March 19 at the Tan Son Nhat airport and were quarantined in Can Gio District. On March 20, the man had a fever but no cough or shortness of breath. After his swab samples tested positive, he was moved to a medical center in Can Gio for treatment.

Vietnam has recorded 104 new infections since March 6, 103 still under treatment and one recovered last week. Of the active cases, 12 have tested negative either once or twice.

Many of the active cases are Vietnamese nationals returning from Europe and the U.S. and foreigners visiting from the same regions. Starting Sunday, in an unprecedented move, Vietnam suspended entry for all foreign nationals, including those of Vietnamese origin and family members with visa waivers.

The Covid-19 pandemic has killed over 14,700 people globally, spreading to 192 countries and territories thus far.

 
 
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