Vietnam confirms more coronavirus patients, raising the country’s tally to 123

“Case 119th” is a 29-year-old American man residing in Binh Thanh District. He works at Boston Consulting Group, a financial consulting company, on the 13th floor of Mplaza Saigon on Le Duan Street in District 1.

From March 1 to March 15, he often traveled between Vietnam and Indonesia and Thailand but didn’t remember flight details. He went to work normally and had come to some entertainment facilities.

Related: Vietnam reports two Cambodia returnees test positive for coronavirus, 118 in total

On March 19, he showed symptoms of fever, cough and sore throat. A day later, he came to FV Hospital for health checks and his swab samples were confirmed positive on Monday.

“Case 120th” is a 27-year-old Canadian man living at the Masteri apartment building in District 2 and works as an English language teacher.

He entered Vietnam on February 11. During his stay in HCMC, he had close contact with a British pilot of Vietnam Airlines, who was confirmed positive earlier. They met at a number of restaurants and entertainment facilities.

After knowing that the pilot was infected with the virus, he was put under isolation in District 2 and had his samples tested though he hadn’t showed any symptoms. On March 21, he had fever, dry cough and was transferred to Cu Chi field hospital for isolation and treatment.

“Case 121st” is a 58-year-old Vietnamese man residing in Tan Binh District. On March 18, he and his wife flew from New York to Vietnam on ANA Airline flight NH831 that transited in Japan’s Narita. They landed at Tan Son Nhat Airport on March 19 and were quarantined in Can Gio District. On March 20, the man had a fever, no cough, no shortness of breath and had his samples tested. The result came back positive. He is being treated at a medical center in Can Gio.

“Case 122nd” is a 24-year-old woman from the central province of Ha Tinh. Her swab samples were confirmed positive at the Da Nang Center for Disease Control, the Health Ministry announced Monday evening. She worked as a bartender in Bangkok and had come into contact with many people without a face mask on. On March 17, she went to another bar in Bangkok to meet a friend. Three days later, she boarded Thai Airways flight TG947 from the Suvarnabhumi International Airport and landed March 20 in Da Nang City.

She was quarantined on arrival by the Da Nang Center for Disease Control at the city’s Center for National Defense Education. A friend of “Case 122th” is currently quarantined in Ha Tinh Province’s Huong Son District. Da Nang has recorded five Covid-19 cases so far, two of them Vietnamese, including “Patient 122”, and the other three foreigners.

“Case 123rd” lived in Malaysia’s Sarawar state for about four months before arriving March 17 in Bandar Seri Begawa, capital of Brunei, from where she boarded Royal Brunei Airlines flight BI381, seat 27K, landing the same day at Saigon’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

She then took a bus to the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre and self-quarantined at home. She came into contact with two people at home who have not shown any symptoms so far. The girl has tested Covid-19 positive, the Health Ministry confirmed Monday evening.

By far, the nation has had 123 infections, including 106 active cases, recorded since March 6. The earlier 17 have been discharged after treatment. Of the current active cases, 12 have tested negative either once or twice.

Many of active cases are Vietnamese nationals retuning from Europe and the U.S. and foreigners visiting from the same regions. Starting Sunday, in an unprecedented move, Vietnam has suspended entry for all foreign nationals, including those of Vietnamese origin and family members with visa waivers.

The Covid-19 pandemic has killed over 14,700 people globally as it spread to 192 countries and territories.

Compiled by Vietnam Insider staff/ VNExpress/ VNA