The new patients are among the 56 people whose samples were sent to the Nha Trang Pasteur Institute in the central province of Khanh Hoa on March 12, as they had close contact with COVID-19 patients detected in central Binh Thuan province on March 10-11, according to the ministry.

Among the five new cases, a two-year-old girl, a 59-year-old man and a 28-year-old man, all live in Binh Thuan’s Phan Thiet city, had close contact with the 34th patient - a 51-year-old Vietnamese woman who tested positive on March 10.

The two others are a 47-year-old woman in Phan Thiet city, who had close contact with the 38th patient, and a 13-year-old boy in Ham Thuan Bac district, Binh Thuan province, who had contact with the 37th patient.

Of the 44 cases reported in Vietnam so far, 16 had made complete recovery.

Hai Phong plans to spend 1 trillion VND on COVID-19 combat

The northern port city of Hai Phong plans to spend 1 trillion VND (43 million USD) to tackle the fallout of the coronavirus outbreak, with a scenario of 1,000 confirmed infection cases.

This was agreed at an unusual meeting of the municipal People’s Council on March 12 that was convened to adopt a resolution on some tasks and measures to combat COVID-19, and stabilise the city’s socio-economic situation.

Hai Phong will firstly spend more than 126.7 billion VND purchasing equipment, chemicals and face masks in service of the disease combat.

Each person in concentrated quarantine centres will receive 65,000 VND and each in quarantine areas will get 45,000 VND per day.

The city has also decided to scrap the Hoa Phuong Do (Red Flamboyant Flower) Festival, the Cat Ba Fishery Festival and the Do Son Tourism Festival, along with a meeting on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of its liberation.

According to Pham Thu Xanh, Director of the municipal Health Department, as of March 12, no COVID-19 cases had been recorded in the city. More than 1,400 people are being monitored in concentrated quarantine centres in the locality.

Đà Nẵng, Quảng Nam ask for urgent action on COVID-19

The central city has asked the Ministry of Health for permission to report new COVID-19 cases so it can respond more quickly to the pandemic.

Vice chairman of the city’s people’s committee, Lê Trung Chinh said this would help the city isolate areas as soon as samples test positive for SARS-CoV-2 from the laboratory of the city’s Centre for Disease Control (CDC).

He said the city now had to wait for the ministry’s announcement on COVID-19 cases, even on samples from the CDC’s lab.

Chinh said the city needs to implement very urgent action in isolating and tracking those in close contact with COVID-19 patients.

The city’s CDC said its lab had tested 139 cases, of which three samples tested positive for COVID-19 between March 6-9. The three positive test results from Đà Nẵng’s CDC were then sent to Nha Trang Pasteur Institute for reconfirmation, providing the same results.

According to the ministry’s report, Đà Nẵng had three cases of COVID-19, including two British tourists who were on the same flight as Hà Nội’s first COVID-19 patient and one local woman who was in close contact with them.

The city had collected 194 medical samples of people in both direct and indirect contact with the two British tourists and the local woman (patient 35), and 126 samples tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 as of March 11.

Vice director of Đà Nẵng General Hospital, Nguyễn Thành Trung confirmed that 10 medical workers, who treated the city’s third COVID-19 patient (patient 35), were among samples testing negative.

He said the medical workers and negative tests will be isolated for 14 days.

The two British patients are in good health at the city’s General Hospital, a doctor from the hospital said.

More than 1,100 people have been put under quarantine at isolation centres and are all in good condition. Up to 447 others were isolated at home.

A total of 259 samples tested negative for COVID-19.

Local residents and the city’s journalism association have raised VNĐ320 million (US$14,000) in cash, as well as masks and hand sanitiser for doctors and medical staff working at seven hospitals and isolation centres.

Meanwhile, central Quảng Nam Province also asked the ministry for permission to announce COVID-19 outbreaks in provincial territory, as the province recorded two cases by March 11.

Vice director of the provincial health department, Nguyễn Văn Văn, said the outbreak announcements would help local people be aware of COVID-19, thus boosting prevention measures.

Văn said isolation is the best solution for COVID-19, while cleaning hands and the environment will help as well.

A total of 40 tourists, who were on the same flight as the 17th COVID-19 patient, and seven others on a trip to Hội An, were kept at isolation sites, and 39 samples tested negative for SARS-CoV-2.

A British patient was taken from Hội An to Huế for further treatment on March 10.

The province had isolated 424 people – who had direct communication and close contact with the two COVID-19 patients – at medical centres and at home.

The province also banned all boat trips travelling from the mainland to Chàm Islands, off the coast of Hội An, the Old Quarter in Hội An and other destinations to avoid crowds.

Negative results for 18 people in close contact with COVID-19 tourists

At the Kien Giang General Hospital

18 people in Phu Quoc island district in Kien Giang province who came into close contact with two British tourists traveling on the same flight with the 17th COVID-19 patient remained in stable health condition with their test results being negative for coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).

Information regarding the negative test results was released by the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention in Kien Giang province on March 11.

The original British tourists who had traveled on flight VN0054 with 17th COVID-19 patient were identified as Ian Keith Lowndes and Lorraine Claire Lowndes.

Despite tests negative for the COVID-19, the Phu Quoc District Health Center will continue to keep the group in quarantine to undergo strict surveillance in line with regulations.

At present, there are 17 people in isolation zones within Kien Giang province, whilst a further 204 suspected cases are self-isolating at home or in their residence.

According to a report released by the provincial Department of Tourism, the total number of international visitors staying in Kien Giang province reached 10,944 on March 10.

Kien Giang Department of Health has issued a document guiding the application of medical declarations for COVID-19 while simutaneously directing medical facilities at the grassroot levels to strictly monitor health of patients who returned to the province from concentrated isolation zones outside the locality, especially those from the epidemic-hit areas.

British tourist with COVID-19 stops at several places in Tien Giang

The Bassac Pandaw cruise ship is placed on lockdown in Cambodia

The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang has recently discovered a group of foreign tourists, including a British citizen who had been infected with the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, travelling to a number of places of interest within the locality.

Information regarding the group was unveiled during a March 12 meeting of the provincial Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control to discuss urgent measures to deal with the rapidly spreading pandemic.

The incident occurred when four British tourists on flight VN0054 entered Vietnam via Tan Son Nhat international airport in Ho Chi Minh City on March 2 before travelling by car to Tien Giang province.

Upon arriving at the port in My Tho city, the group then boarded the Bassac Pandaw cruise ship which was set to travel to Cambodia.

During the journey, the cruise ship stopped at Tan Phong island in Cai Lay district before heading to Cuu Long pottery village on the outskirts of Cai Be town.

It was only when the ship docked in Cambodia that local medical workers conducted medical examinations, during which they discovered one case of the COVID-19 infection.

Following the discovery, all crew members and passengers on board the Bassac Pandaw were put into lockdown by Cambodian authorities with all people being forced to go into a period of isolation.

Subsequently, police in Tien Giang province have sent a written request to the provincial Center for Disease Control to immediately co-ordinate alongside relevant authorities and localities in a bid to disinfect locations where the cruise ship anchored as a means of preventing the potential spread of the epidemic.

Negative results for suspected COVID-19 cases in Da Nang

A female saleperson have close contact with two British patients in Dien May Xanh supermarket chain

The Da Nang Center for Disease Control announced on March 12 that samples taken from 71 individuals who had either come into close contact with the 35th novel coronavirus (COVID-19) patient, or two infected British nationals, the 22nd and 23rd patients, have tested negative for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.

A total of 25 of the negative cases are relatives of the 35th COVID-19 patient, while five others are colleagues who work at the Dien May Xanh supermarket chain, along with 12 health workers.

Currently, 25 cases remain in quarantine for 14 days in line with regulations set by the health sector, along with a further 46 cases that were exposed to the 22nd and 23rd patients.

The health sector is continuing to investigate and apply isolation measures for any people who came into close contact with either the 22nd, 23rd, or 35th COVID-19 patient with samples being taken to test for the virus.

Lai Chau intensifies measures to combat COVID-19 pandemic

Vietnam confirms five more COVID-19 cases, totaling 44

The northern province of Lai Chau has strengthened measures in a bid to prevent the potential spread of the COVID-19 pandemic with over 7,100 cases being put into quarantine and undergoing strict monitoring in the locality, according to the provincial Center for Disease Control.

The provincial Center for Disease Control stated that the number of suspected patients has reached 55, of which 51 cases have so far tested negative for coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).

In addition, a total of 41 patients are eligible to be removed from the list of suspected cases, while a further 10 patients that recorded negative test results have been isolated to undergo medical supervision over a 14-day period in line with regulations set by the health sector.

There are also four cases which are still awaiting the results of their tests.

At present, 7,106 people who had come into close contact with any of the suspected COVID-19 cases following their return from epidemic-hit areas have been put into quarantine to undergo medical supervision in the locality, of which 6,800 patients have already been removed from the list of people who must be strictly monitored.

Despite the high numbers being removed from the monitoring process, there are still over 300 cases that remain in isolation, so authorities can closely monitor their health condition at specified isolation zones in line with regulations.

Tran Do Kien, Director of the Lai Chau Provincial Center for Disease Control, pointed out the locality is facing a shortage of medical supplies and equipment which could lead to difficulties in terms of preventive activities that are necessary to combat the pandemic.

Along with tightening control over people who are returning from China, the province has also been proactive in deploying measures aimed at preventing the potential spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in transportation activities.

The Lai Chau Department of Transport has requested that the Provincial Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control continue to provide support through medical equipment, offering free face masks to drivers and passengers, regularly spraying disinfectant at bus stations, and thoroughly sterilising vehicles that enter the region.