Vietnam reports first locally transmitted COVID-19 case in 89 days

[snoop1130]

Vietnam reports first locally transmitted COVID-19 case in 89 days

By Phuong Nguyen and Khanh Vu

 

FILE PHOTO: A healthcare worker wearing protective suit walks past as local residents, who have returned after travelling to Da Nang, wait at a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing center in Hanoi, Vietnam August 10, 2020. REUTERS/Kham/File Photo

 

HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam confirmed on Monday its first locally transmitted case of the coronavirus in nearly three months, after the infection of a man related to a flight attendant who had tested positive after returning from Japan two weeks ago.

 

The country's health minister ordered provinces and state agencies to tighten screening and controls and contact tracing efforts were launched after the 32-year-old man was confirmed as the first reported domestic infection in 89 days.

 

With its strict quarantine and tracking measures, Vietnam has managed to quickly contain its coronavirus outbreaks, allowing it to resume its economic activities earlier than much of Asia.

 

Vietnam crushed its first wave of coronavirus infections in April and went nearly 100 days without local transmission until the virus remerged and was quickly contained in the central city of Danang in July.

 

Authorities said the latest case had taught at language-learning centres and been to cafes and karaoke bars since his exposure to the flight attendant. Those places had since been closed.

 

Vietnam has so far recorded 1,347 coronavirus cases, 655 of which it said were imported. The country has reported an average of five of those cases a day recently.

 

It has effectively closed its borders to combat the coronavirus but has allowed some business travellers and those with foreign expertise to enter on special flights provided they undergo quarantine.

 

Monday's case came days after the health ministry warned of a new outbreak among the community as the cold season has begun.

 

"The COVID-19 situation remains complicated," Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long said last week.

 

"The disease has returned in many parts of the world in winter time."

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-01

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[BangkokReady]

20 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

after the infection of a man related to a flight attendant who had tested positive after returning from Japan two weeks ago

Are they implying that the flight attendant didn't have to go through quarantine and this guy met up with her?

 

That seems a little foolish.

[khunjeff]

17 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

Are they implying that the flight attendant didn't have to go through quarantine and this guy met up with her?

 

That seems a little foolish.

 

Vietnam has a shorter mandatory hotel quarantine period for flight crews, but it's supposed to be followed by home quarantine. This person apparently stayed home, but didn't properly isolate:

 

"According to local media, the flight attendant had returned to Vietnam on November 14 and was quarantined for four days at a facility managed by the airline in HCMC. After two tests showed he was negative for the coronavirus, he was asked to remain quarantined at his home in Tan Binh District. At home, he came into contact with his mother and two friends, including the English teacher who came to stay with him.

 

"Health officials and Vietnam Airlines representatives have blamed the flight attendant for violating home quarantine rules, which require people to avoid close contact, stay in an isolated room or keep a distance of at least two meters from other people."

[Darkside Gray]

22 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

Are they implying that the flight attendant didn't have to go through quarantine and this guy met up with her?

 

That seems a little foolish.

It was a male attendant and had undergone quarantine at the VN airlines center and was home quarantining where he had close contact with the school teacher also male.