11 provinces at risk of becoming Wuhan pneumonia outbreak hotbeds

The provinces include Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Khanh Hoa, Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Kien Giang.

These 11 provinces and cities must closely monitor the health of tourists and workers coming from epidemic areas in China within 14 days. If any cases showing signs of fever, cough, or difficulty breathing are detected, they must immediately go to a medical facility for examination, treatment, and report to the health authority.

These provinces and cities must make a list of sick people and people who have been in close contact within 2 meters to immediately organize temporary quarantine to limit the spread of the disease to the community.

The Ministry of Health also requested the 5 Ministries of Public Security, National Defense, Foreign Affairs, Transport, Information - Communications, Culture, Sports - Tourism, to join in disease prevention. The units share information about full name, age, passport number, travel itinerary within the last 14 days, seat number on means of transport, address of residence in Vietnam, contact information and phone number (if any) of citizens of other countries entering Vietnam, who are found to have/suspected to have Wuhan pneumonia.

Chinese officials said today the death toll from a coronavirus outbreak has risen to 106 and the number of cases has surpassed 4,500. Most of the patients are in Hubei province, where the outbreak began last month in Wuhan. In addition, there are nearly 7,000 more suspected cases of Wuhan pneumonia awaiting confirmation.

A patient being treated for acute pneumonia in Wuhan. Photo: Scmp.

As of January 27, Vietnam has recorded 63 cases of fever and a history of travel from epidemic areas in China. Of these, 25 cases were ruled out as nCoV due to infection with other agents, and 38 patients are currently being quarantined, monitored, and treated.

Cho Ray Hospital has confirmed two cases positive for nCoV virus: Mr. Li Ding, born in 1954, and his son Li Zichao, born in 1992. The Chinese father and son infected each other with acute pneumonia, because the father came from Wuhan to Vietnam.

Doctor Nguyen Tri Thuc, Director of Cho Ray Hospital, said on the morning of January 28 that patient Li Zichao is currently conscious, breathing on his own, eating and drinking normally. Throat swabs and PCR tests were negative for nCoV virus three times, and he may be discharged soon.

The father, Li Ding, 66 years old, is now conscious, can eat and sleep, and is receiving oxygen through a machine, with an SpO2 index of 96%. The patient's fever has stopped since the afternoon of January 25, and his liver and kidney functions are normal. PCR tests on January 26 and 27 were still positive, and he continues to be isolated and treated.