March 12: Vietnam finds one more coronavirus case, the 5th in Hanoi

Vietnam’s Ministry of Health on Thursday morning confirmed one more person infected with the novel coronavirus who lives in Cau Giay district, Hanoi.

The case makes up the total number of infections in Vietnam to 39, with no death reported so far.

Tourists in Hanoi. Photo: Reuters

The latest case is a 25-year-old man who guided a group of British visitors, including an infected one, on a Hanoi-Ninh Binh tour on March 4. The infected Briton took Vietnam Airlines flight VN0054 from London to Hanoi on March 2.

On March, after learning about the infection of the British visitor, the tour guide went to a hospital for checkup and he was hospitalized at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases for coronavirus tests.

With the fifth case, Hanoi quickly disinfected the affected places and launched protective measures for local residents and in surrounding areas.

The Ministry of Health has asked Hanoi to quarantine people of close contact with the tour guide and identify those who made contact with them. Local health officials need to update health conditions of related people.

Local authorities have been asked to disseminate protective measures against coronavirus and boost sanitation work in the areas. The quarter where he lives in under lockdown.

Director of the Hanoi Department of Health Nguyen Khac Hien said the agency has set up quarantine for 40 people who had close contact with the tour guide and 200 others have been required for home isolation in relation with the case.

Hanoi currently locks part of Truc Bach street in Ba Dinh district after the city’s first case was detected positive on March 6.