5 more people in Binh Thuan tested positive for nCoV, infected from patient 34

According to information released by the Ministry of Health on the afternoon of March 12, all five new cases are related to "patient 34", including her husband (59 years old), son (28 years old), and granddaughter (2 years old). The remaining two people, one is the mother-in-law and a 12-year-old boy, are close relatives of the infected female employee.

Yesterday, the patient's daughter-in-law, maid, and employee tested positive for nCoV.

Thus, "patient 34" is currently the largest source of infection in Vietnam, infecting 8 people. Previously, the highest source of infection was from a patient in Vinh Phuc, infecting 6 people.

"Patient 34", a 51-year-old businesswoman, flew from Vietnam to the US via South Korea, then returned via Qatar, entered Tan Son Nhat airport on the morning of March 2 and took a private car to Binh Thuan. On March 5, the patient had a cough and fever. Four days later, she was hospitalized for isolation and treatment, and was confirmed positive on March 10. During the eight days from returning to Vietnam until being hospitalized, she came into contact with many people including relatives, employees and partners.

Binh Thuan Province Center for Disease Control said.12 people in contact with "patient 34" today tested negative for nCoVSome of them are quarantined in hospitals, others are quarantined at home under the control of local health authorities.

Binh Thuan General Hospital is quarantining 15 cases, of which 8 people tested positive for nCoV. One patient is being quarantined at Regiment 812, La Gi town.

Dr. Ngo Luong Lam Kieu, Deputy Director of Binh Thuan General Hospital, said that on the afternoon of March 12, the patients' health was stable, no longer had difficulty breathing, their fever had reduced, and they were living normally. In addition to the meals provided by the hospital, the patients' families provided some food according to their own needs and with the opinion of the treating physician.

Faced with the complicated developments of the epidemic in the area, Dr. Dang Thuc Anh Vu, Deputy Director of Binh Thuan General Hospital, said that the local health sector has prepared a response plan. The provincial General Hospital is the first unit to receive and treat Covid-19 patients. Binh Thuan Lung Hospital is ready to receive patients when the provincial hospital is overloaded.

If the number of patients increases further, Binh Thuan will build a field hospital.

"Depending on the level of the epidemic, level 1 field hospitals will be built in districts and level 2 in provinces," said Dr. Vu.

To date, Vietnam has recorded 44 Covid-19 cases, of which 16 have recovered, and 28 patients discovered within the past week are being isolated and treated.

Patients can be considered to belong to the following groups:

- from South Korea: "patient 18";

- from England on flight VN54: "patient 17" and two people infected by her; "patient 21"; 11 foreign tourists (from number 22 to 31, 33); "patient 35" and "patient 39" infected by British tourists;

- from England on a private plane: "patient 32";

- from the US: "patient 34" and 8 subsequent cases, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44.

As of the morning of March 12, Vietnam had 119 people suspected of being infected with nCoV being quarantined in hospitals, an increase of 6 cases compared to yesterday. Of the suspected cases, 77 were newly quarantined during the day, and 42 old cases continued to be monitored. The number of people being quarantined for health monitoring nationwide was 24,938, an increase of nearly 200 cases compared to the previous day.

Le Nga