A section of Trúc Bạch Street, Ba Đình District in Hà Nội was locked down last night after the 17th SARS-CoV-2 case was confirmed. The new patient was reported to have stayed at home on the street after returning from Europe. VNA/VNS Photo Thành Đạt

HÀ NỘI - A 27-year-old woman in Hà Nội tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 after returning from Europe, the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology confirmed on Friday night.

Nguyễn Hồng Nhung, hotel manager, was reported to have arrived in London on February 16 to visit her family and travelled to Milan, Italy two days later.

On February 20, she returned to London and took a train to Paris five days later, met her older sister who was confirmed to test positive for the virus and came back to London on February 26.

During her stay in Europe, the patient had contact with many people who showed symptoms of coughing and sneezing.

She started to cough on February 29 but did not have a health check-up.

She took a Vietnam Airlines flight back to Hà Nội and landed in the city in the early morning of March 2 with no fever.

After immigration, she was taken by her family’s car to her house at 125 Trúc Bạch Street, Ba Đình District.

She was reported to have worn a face mask while travelling from the airport to her house.

After suffering a fever, she had a check-up at Hồng Ngọc Hospital at 55 Yên Ninh, Ba Đình District and was diagnosed with pneumonia.

She was moved to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases based in Đông Anh District and tested positive for the virus.

Since coming back from Europe, the patient was reported to have self-quarantined at home, worn a face mask, limited contact with relatives and did not go out.

People staying with her during this time were her parents, two helpers, two cleaners and a driver.

She is being quarantined at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Đông Anh District.

People having close contact with the patient in her house, on flights, at Hồng Ngọc Hospital at 55 Yên Ninh Street where the patient had health check-up are being monitored.

The flight back to Việt Nam had 197 passengers and crew members.

Eight people – her father, uncle, cleaners and a driver – had close contact with her at home.

Eighteen people at Hồng Ngọc Hospital who had contact with the patient have so far had no symptoms of fever or coughing.

Disinfectants have been sprayed at the patient’s house, Hồng Ngọc Hospital and houses of people in contact with Nhung.

People in close contact with the patient have been quarantined and tested for the virus.

At an urgent meeting on Friday night, the city’s Department of Health proposed the health ministry and immigration management department provide a list of people on the same flight with the patient to follow up on their health status.

People living around the patient’s house and places where she visited must be informed of the case and take preventive measures. VNS