Three patients infected with the coronavirus (holding bouquets) with medical staff at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hà Nội. They are free from the virus and were released from hospital on Monday. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Three patients infected with the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) after returning from Wuhan City – the epicentre of the deadly coronavirus – were discharged from hospital on Monday afternoon.

This raises the number of patients released from hospital to six. 

The three patients were all from the northern province of Vĩnh Phúc, including a 24-year-old woman from Bình Xuyên District’s Sơn Lôi Commune, a 29-year-old woman from Bình Xuyên District’s Gia Khánh Commune, and a 30-year-old man from Tam Đảo District’s Minh Quang Commune.

They were sent to Wuhan for training while working for a company in the province.

The patients suffered high fevers and coughing shortly after returning from Wuhan on January 17. They were hospitalised and tested positive for coronavirus.

The first patient returned to work on January 18 and had close contact with other family members between January 17 and 27. On January 25, the patient, accompanied by her father, took a taxi to the hospital where she tested positive for the virus.

The second patient was reportedly having a party with 13 co-workers and visiting a downtown area in Vĩnh Phúc City ten days after returning to the country. Previously, she had shared a dormitory with seven workers in Wuhan. She was found to be infected with the virus after suffering coughing.

The third patient had also shared a dormitory with seven workers in Wuhan. He returned to his hometown for the Lunar New Year on January 23 and had close contact with family members. He suffered coughing and soon tested positive for the virus.

His family members have been isolated for observation at the local health clinic.

After between nine and 14 days of isolation and treatment at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hà Nội, the three patients have recovered and are in stable conditions. 

The latest test showed they were all free from the virus.

A male patient, who wished to remain anonymous, said he was so happy to be released from the isolation room and see the sunlight after more than ten days of treatment.

Dr Thân Mạnh Hùng, deputy head of the hospital’s Emergency Treatment Department, said these patients were isolated right after being hospitalised with typical symptoms of the epidemic.

They were in now good health and could get back to normal life, he said.

Currently, there are two infected patients receiving treatment and about 30 suspected infections being isolated at the hospital 

So far, Việt Nam has successfully cured six among 14 coronavirus patients. — VNS