Hundreds of people related to 'patient number 17' quarantined

At the Covid-19 prevention meeting this morning, the Hanoi People's Committee announced that on flight VN0054 from the UK to Noi Bai at 4:30 a.m. on March 2, the number of passengers and crew was 217, of which 21 were in the VIP cabin (J cabin). 180 were in the economy cabin (W cabin had 35 people, Y cabin had 145 people). The flight crew and flight attendants were 16 people.

Authorities have verified the destinations of 155 economy class passengers and 21 business class passengers. Of these, 60 stayed in Hanoi, 47 in Hoan Kiem district alone, 10 are still staying, 37 have moved elsewhere. Dong Da district has 9 people, 5 are still staying, 4 have moved elsewhere. Hai Ba Trung district has 2 people; Ba Dinh and Cau Giay districts each have 1 person.

The Hanoi Department of Health has quarantined 20 people who had close contact with Nguyen Hong Nhung, the 17th patient infected with nCoV in Vietnam, at Hong Ngoc Hospital. Of these, 19 out of 20 people who had close contact with Nhung tested negative, while one sample is awaiting test results. The city's Center for Disease Control has disinfected the entire hospital and requested that no new patients be admitted.

The 21st patient announced this morning also sat in the VIP compartment with Hong Nhung. ReplyVnExpress, the male patient saidOn the evening of March 6, when he learned about case number 17, he proactively informed the Ministry of Health. The next morning, his sample was taken for testing, and he is currently isolated and treated at the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases."My health is still normal," said the male patient.

On the same day, Mr. Ngo Tien Phat, Deputy Chief of Office of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, said that on March 4, patient number 21 attended an event at the Institute. The Institute has made a list of 30 people who attended the event and 50 others who had close contact with the event attendees, to notify the authorities to take measures to quarantine and monitor their health.

This morning, the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences will disinfect and sterilize.

Provincial Department of HealthQuang Binhidentified a 29-year-old British cave expert who was on the same flight as Nguyen Hong Nhung. At 4:30 a.m. on March 2, the British expert boarded flight VN0054 to Noi Bai, sitting in seat number 17. After completing immigration procedures, he continued to fly to Dong Hoi airport on VASCO flight number OV8593 at 7:00 p.m. the same day and was picked up to stay at Charm's Homestay in Phong Nha town (Bo Trach district).

On March 5, a British expert and 10 others conducted a cave survey in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park. The expedition is expected to leave the forest at noon or in the afternoon of March 8. After the group leaves the forest, authorities will quarantine the group of 11 people and take samples from the British expert.

At the accommodation, 10 people who had close contact with the British expert are currently in good health. The health sector has asked the 10 people to self-isolate at home, and spray disinfectant at the tourist's accommodation and the local car used to transport the tourist from Dong Hoi airport to Phong Nha.

The Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control of Quang Binh province has requested Dong Hoi Airport to provide the list and itinerary of people on flight OV8593 on March 2 from Noi Bai to Dong Hoi for health monitoring.

Thua Thien HueThere were two international tourists sitting in business class on the same flight VN0054 as patient Nguyen Hong Nhung. Mr. Nguyen Dinh Bach, Deputy Chief of Office of Thua Thien Hue province, said that this morning, medical staff took the two tourists from the hotel to Hue Central Hospital, branch 2 in Phong An commune, Phong Dien district for quarantine.

Previously, on the evening of March 6, 12 passengers on the same flight as the 17th patient were closely monitored, quarantined at the hotel where they stayed, and had their temperatures measured daily. Hotel staff who had contact with these passengers self-monitored their health. All hotels were sprayed with disinfectant and entry and exit were restricted.

Health authorities have taken samples from 12 passengers and sent them to the Pasteur Institute and Hue Central Hospital to test whether they are positive for nCoV or not.

On the morning of March 8, Mr. Nguyen Van Hai, Director of the Department of HealthQuang Nam, said that 40 foreigners related to the 17th patient are being quarantined on the spot. "The medical team has taken samples and sent them to the Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang and are waiting for test results," Mr. Hai said, adding that the health of these people is normal.

Of the 40 people, 33 were on the same flight as patient 17, and 7 others traveled with the 33 to Quang Nam. The facilities where they stayed were sprayed with disinfectants and the surrounding areas were disinfected.

Regarding this, after receiving information about these tourists coming to Quang Nam, on the afternoon of March 7, the Provincial People's Committee urgently met to discuss solutions to respond to nCoV.

Mr. Le Tri Thanh, Chairman of the province, gave specific instructions to relevant sectors and assigned tasks for implementation. "If necessary, centralized quarantine will be organized at hospitals or established facilities," said the leader of Quang Nam province.