A medical worker at a laboratory in Đà Nẵng. Medical samples of two British COVID-19 patients tested negative after a week of treatment on March 13. — VNS Photo Công Thành

ĐÀ NẴNG — Medical samples of two British COVID-19 patients (patient number 22 and 23), who have been treated at an isolation site in the city’s General Hospital since March 8, have tested negative for the virus.

The two patients did not suffer a fever, cough or trouble breathing during their period at the hospital from March 8 to 12. X-rays of their lungs showed a normal state of the organs.

Director of the Đà Nẵng's Centre for Disease Control (CDC), Dr Tôn Thất Thạnh, confirmed to Việt Nam News, saying the two patients need to undergo more tests and the final result will be released next week.

The third COVID-19 patient in Đà Nẵng (patient number 35), a woman, did not display any signs of fever, cough or trouble breathing during treatment from March 10 to 12.

Her medical sample was taken on Friday, and test results will be available next week, Thạnh said.

According to a report from the city’s health department on Friday, 202 medical samples of people who had close contact with the three COVID-19 patients in Đà Nẵng were all negative.

It said these people will be kept in isolation for 14 days.

At the city’s people’s council meeting on Friday, the city approved an emergency fund of VNĐ200 billion (US$8.7 million) for medical equipment and facilities as well as aid for patients and local residents at isolation centres.

All schools and universities in the city will be closed until the end of March.

Sixteen people in neighbouring Quảng Nam Province, who had contact with the two British patients (in treatment at Đà Nẵng), tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 according to results released on Thursday.

A female caddie, who spent five hours in close contact with the two British patients, also tested negative for COVID-19. The two British patients were on a golf trip in the province on March 5.

The Quảng Nam provincial health department said 40 people in close contact with patient number 30 in the province, all tested negative.

A source from the central hospital in Huế City said three COVID-19 patients (two patients from Quảng Nam Province, and one found in Huế City) are healthy.

Huế City has isolated 179 people who were in close contact with patient number 30, and 26 medical samples of the contacted people tested negative for COVID-19. No more new cases have been found in the province.

The province also closed all schools and universities through March. — VNS