COVID-19 Updates in Vietnam: Man Escapes From COVID-19 Quarantine In Vietnam, Raising Public Concerns

COVID-19 in Vietnam, update on 26th June 2020

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3 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Vietnam on 25th June, Wednesday evening, placing the total patient tally in the country at 352. All the new cases are imported cases and the patients were quarantined upon arrival, so Vietnam is still clear of community transmissions – setting a record of going 71 days without community-transmitted cases.

Despite the promising numbers, the country still faces danger from the coronavirus. Yesterday, it was reported that a man had escaped from COVID-19 quarantine, posing a danger to public health.

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Man escapes from COVID-19 quarantine

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(Photo for illustrative purposes only)
Image credit: @haodang104

Public health concerns were raised in Vietnam yesterday as it was reported that a man had escaped from a COVID-19 quarantine facility and was roaming in the community.

The 26-year-old man was caught illegally entering Vietnam by land from China on Monday and was taken to a quarantine facility in the northern Vietnamese province of Quảng Ninh, where he tested negative for COVID-19.

He was to remain in quarantine for another 14 days for further monitoring, but on Wednesday evening, he reportedly escaped, prompting local authorities to conduct an urgent search.

According to the latest update, the man was found yesterday night and taken back to the quarantine facility. Security around the area has also been tightened.

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3 additional COVID-19 cases reported in Vietnam

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The 3 new cases are Vietnamese returning from Kuwait
(Photo for illustrative purposes only)
Image credit: Vân Đồn International Airport

3 new COVID-19 patients, including a man and 2 women, were reported by the Ministry of Health on Wednesday. They all returned from Kuwait as part of the Vietnamese government’s effort to bring back citizens, but were on two different flights.

The man came back to the Tân Sơn Nhất Airport in Hồ Chí Minh City on 16th June and was confirmed positive for COVID-19 9 days later, on Wednesday, 24th June. Prior to his diagnosis, 8 other passengers on his flight were also tested positive for the virus.

Meanwhile, 2 women, aged 30 and 46 respectively, landed at the Nội Bài Airport on 18th June. As per regulation, all overseas arrivals to Vietnam have to be quarantined for 14 days upon entry. During their quarantine period, these 2 women were tested for COVID-19 several times.

All of these 3 cases were discovered in a timely manner and kept in check, so there’s no risk of them spreading the virus into the community.

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Previous patients are recovering

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Patient 91 going outside for sunbathing, next to a medical staff
Image credit: Zingnews

Today also marks the 100th day since the 43-year-old Scottish man known as Patient 91 in Vietnam was confirmed positive for COVID-19 and hospitalized. He was under critical health condition for most of this period, but has been making an impressive recovery in the past few weeks. His organs, once severely damaged, are now functional, and the man is able to stand up and walk short distances with assistance. It’ll reportedly take several more weeks of physical therapy for him to regain his strength, but doctors have high hopes.

3 other patients, all Vietnamese citizens repatriated from abroad, have also been declared free of the virus and discharged from hospitals since our last update. This pushes Vietnam’s recovery count to 329 and leaves the country with only 23 active cases.

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Vietnam’s COVID-19 update 26th June

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Since Vietnam has done a remarkable job in containing the COVID-19 pandemic and life here has returned to the normal that we are used to before the virus reached our shores, many people may feel that preventive measures are now redundant.

But make no mistake, the threat posed by the coronavirus is very much not over – especially with global numbers of confirmed cases still soaring. And it takes just one irresponsible action from a single individual to undo months of nationwide effort. Therefore, it is crucial that we remain on high alert even when things appear calm.

For more stories, check out:

• Vietnamese doctors save patient with heart transplant
• Cho Ray Hospital introduces cashless payments
• Saigon hospital built the city’s first pedestrian bridge fitted with lifts
• Hanoi volunteers dressed up as superheroes to cheer up children with cancer
• Loyal Vietnamese dog helps disabled owner queue for rice

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Cover image adapted from Vân Đồn International Airport and @haodang104

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