Vietnam reports two new coronavirus relapses

"Patient 130", a 30-year old Saigon man, reportedly recovered on March 30. He was kept at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi for observation.

He tested positive again on April 4, 19, 25, and 26. The Ministry of Health has described it as a "complicated" case.

"Patient 50", a 50-year old man from Hanoi, was severely ill but recovered on April 14. He was also kept at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases for doctors to observe.

On April 21, after five negative tests, he tested positive again. Further tests on April 24 and 27 also came up positive.

The two cases bring the number of relapses to 11.

The ministry said on Tuesday that tests of samples taken from five relapsed patients showed the virus was "inactive" in their bodies, which theoretically means the chances of them spreading the infection to others are "very low."

The ministry said the country’s tally has stayed at 270 since last Friday. Wednesday also marked the 13th day without community transmission.

Of the 270 patients recorded so far, 219 have been discharged and 51 are being treated. Of the latter, 14 have tested negative at least once.

Some 42,000 people are in quarantine, 323 in hospitals, 6,600 at quarantine facilities and the rest at home.

The pandemic has spread to 210 countries and territories, and more than 217,700 people have died.