A plane of Việt Nam national carrier Vietnam Airlines. A Japanese passenger boarded Vietnam Airlines flight VN814 from Cambodia’s Siem Reap to HCM City, then took a transit flight VN340 to Japan’s Nagoya City, showed symptoms of fever and tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. — VNA/VNS Photo Việt Hùng

​HÀ NỘI — All passengers, crew and staff who had contact with a Japanese passenger who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on Vietnam Airlines’ VN340 flight have been put into quarantine, the Health Ministry reported on Wednesday. 

On Tuesday, the Japanese passenger boarded Vietnam Airlines flight VN814 with 72 others from Cambodia’s Siem Reap to HCM City, then took a transit flight VN340 to Japan’s Nagoya City. 

After landing in Japan, the Japanese passenger showed symptoms of fever and tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.

All the crew from flight VN340 flight returned to Việt Nam on flight VN341, which landed at HCM City's Tân Sơn Nhất Airport at 1:55pm on Wednesday. The flight carried 73 passengers and 12 crew. 

Accordingly, 51 passengers entering Việt Nam and all the crew have been put into quarantine. The 22 others were also quarantined and are making arrangements for transit flights. 

The aircraft used for flight VN341 has been disinfected. 

At Tân Sơn Nhất Airport, two security staff and six service staff in the business lounge were also quarantined due to having close contact with the Japanese passenger. 

Both Vietnamese and Japanese agencies are investigating the itinerary of the Japanese patient in Cambodia.

In a related development, the quarantine agency in HCM City is co-ordinating with the Airport Authority and customs agency at Tân Sơn Nhất Airport to verify the identities and addresses of five passengers traveling with the Japanese passenger on flight VN814 who reportedly checked into Việt Nam on Tuesday.

Flight VN814 carried 67 passengers and six cabin crew. Sixty-one passengers had connecting flights that night to London, Japan, Busan and Manila. Six passengers checked in at HCM City including one Vietnamese, three French, one Australian and one Filipino. The Filipino then flew home on Wednesday. — VNS