Dozens of people in HCM City have been quarantined after a British tourist who had recovered from Covid-19 tested positive for the virus again while checking in for a flight back to his home country at the Tan Son Nhat Airport.
Director of the Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Health, Nguyen Tan Binh, announced on the afternoon of April 13 that they have just found a SARS-CoV-2-positive sample of a British tourist who was recently discharged from a Danang Hospital after recovering from the disease.
According to the department’s report, the 60-year-old man was admitted to the Danang General Hospital on March 8 and released on March 27 after testing negative for the virus in three consecutive tests. He was then continued to be quarantined for another 14 days at a hotel in Danang City following regulations from the Health Ministry.
After finishing the quarantine period, he flew to Ho Chi Minh City on April 10. He had his samples taken for viral testing at the Tan Son Nhat Airport before staying at a nearby hotel while waiting for a flight back to the UK.
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The city’s Centre for Diseases Control announced that the tourist tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on April 12 when he already boarded a flight for the UK.
“The disease may have recurred or the patient may have got it while being quarantined after recovering,” the official said. “We have asked Danang City’s Health Department to check the quarantine activities at their hotels.”
After being informed about the case, Ho Chi Minh City authorities have looked for dozens of people who had closed contact with the tourist for samples testing and health monitoring. They have also informed the Vietnam Airlines to trace passengers who sit next to him.
Danang City’s Department of Health said on Tuesday morning they are inspecting the treatment process at the hospital and quarantine work at Sam Grand Hotel where he stayed.
“There were 22 people being quarantined at the hotel with him during that time,” the department said. “They stayed at separate rooms and had no contact with one another. We have taken samples of 23 health workers, hotel staff, drivers for viral testing and all showed negative.”
This is the first Covid-19 recurrence reported in Vietnam so far.
Source: Dtinews