Test results of suspected Covid-19 re-positive case in Nghe An

On the morning of December 10, Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Dinh Chinh, Director of Nghe An Department of Health, said: On the afternoon of December 9, 2020, Nghe An Provincial Center for Disease Control conducted RT-PCR testing for case 1244 (in Dien Loi commune, Dien Chau district). During the testing process, doctors discovered signs of suspicion that this case was re-positive.Covid-19return.

Case 1244 is a Vietnamese worker in Romania. This person was brought from Romania to Tan Son Nhat airport at 9:00 a.m. on November 8, 2020. Immediately after, this person was quarantined at the Hoc Mon district military barracks and tested for Covid-19; at 11:00 a.m. on November 11, 2020, the result was positive for SARS-CoV-2 and was identified as case 1244, and was transferred to Cu Chi Field Hospital for isolation and treatment.

Case 1244 is a Vietnamese worker in Romania, returning home on November 8, 2020. Photo: Internet source

At 9:00 a.m. on November 25, 2020, the patient took a taxi from Cu Chi field hospital to Tan Son Nhat airport, accompanied by 2 other patients whose names and addresses are not clearly remembered, only remembered they were from the North, and did not remember the taxi driver. Arrived at the airport at 10:00 a.m. to check in before boarding the plane, did not eat or drink there, just lay in the waiting chair, did not talk to anyone else. At 12:00 p.m. boarded the plane back to Vinh.

At 1:00 p.m. the same day, patient 1244 got off the plane, did not eat or drink anything there, went to get checked-in luggage and took a taxi (7-seat Mai Linh company in the airport, unknown driver, shared with another passenger whose name and address were unknown) to the bus station (at the foot of Nghi Kim overpass) and got on the Northeast bus (don't remember the license plate number, there were about 10 people on the bus, did not talk to anyone). Then got off the bus at Cho Si Nam and took a taxi home, there was no one at home (wife and 2 children had gone to their parents' house before and had not come into contact with the patient) at 4:00 p.m. the same day.

During the journey from Cu Chi Field Hospital to home, patient 1244 always wore a mask.

Since patient 1244 returned home, he has been living alone. His parents have been coming and going nearby to bring him food and take care of his meals. They have been wearing masks all the time. Occasionally, a neighbor has come to the patient's house. A close friend has also come over to visit once.

At 9:10 p.m. on December 9, 2020, the RT-PCR test of case 1244 was negative for Covid-19. Photo: Thanh Cuong

At 2:00 p.m. on December 9, 2020, Nghe An Provincial Center for Disease Control conducted RT-PCR testing for case 1244 (in Dien Loi commune, Dien Chau district). During the testing process, doctors discovered signs of suspicion that this case was re-positive.Covid-19return.

Upon receiving information from the laboratory, Nghe An Department of Health immediately coordinated with the Steering Committee for Epidemic Prevention.Covid-19Dien Chau district, Dien Loi commune, together with the Provincial Center for Disease Control, Dien Chau district Medical Center, Dien Chau district Military Command held an urgent meeting, proposing timely response plans, such as: Organizing medical isolation of suspected cases and cases in close contact with suspected cases at Dien Loi commune health station; handling the environment at the suspected case's house and the health station; assigning members of the Dien Loi commune epidemic prevention and control steering committee to participate directly and deploy the following activities; continuing to take 6 test samples (of case 1244 and 5 people in contact with the patient).

Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Dinh Chinh said: At 9:10 p.m. on December 9, 2020, the RT-PCR test of case 1244 was negative for Covid-19. Currently, case 1244's health is guaranteed to be good. The case is continuing to be quarantined for health monitoring for 14 days and more samples will be taken for testing on December 11, 2020 (the third time).

Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Dinh Chinh explained clearly: The reason the laboratory detected signs of suspicion that this case tested positive for Covid-19 again is because this is the final stage of the Covid-19 disease recovery process, the body of case 1244 eliminated the virus. When testing, the virus was found in the sample, so there was still a positive result. During this stage, case 1244 is not able to infect others./.