HÀ NỘI — Five Vietnamese, two French, and one German were announced to be positive for SARS-CoV-2 late Wednesday night, bringing the country’s total to 76

Together with two cases announced in the morning – one Vietnamese and one American, a total of ten positive cases were reported yesterday, making the day the biggest jump in cases since the outbreak first emerged in Việt Nam.

The 69th patient is a 30-year-old German tourist staying in Hai Bà Trưng District of Hà Nội. He landed at Nội Bài international airport on March 13.

From March 13 to 15, the patient had visited a number of destinations in Hà Nội. On March 15, he suffered from a fever and was moved into the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases for quarantine and treatment.

The 70th and 71st were 19-year-old male and female students from the UK returning to Hà Nội on flight number TK164 on March 16. All those in close contact with these two have had their clinical samples taken and sent to the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology for testing.

The are receiving treatment at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases.

Watch our video on a British expat sharing his thoughts on being quarantined in Việt Nam

The 72nd patient is a 25-year-old French woman arriving in Hà Nội on March 9. She was confirmed to be the girlfriend of positive case No 60 in Việt Nam. The patient had visited several sites in Hà Nội and Ninh Bình Province. On March 15, she returned to Hà Nội and was quarantined at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases.

The 73rd case is a 11-year-old male in Thanh Miện District of the northern province of Hải Dương. He was on the flight numbered VN0054 returning to the country from the UK, arriving in Hà Nội on March 9. Four days later, he had his samples taken by Hải Dương CDC and was quarantined. On Tuesday, the samples were taken again and this time he tested positive.

A 23-year-old male in the northern province of Phú Thọ, who arrived in Việt Nam from France on the flight VN0018 on Monday, is the 74th case. Right after arrival, he was immediately moved to quarantine area in Bắc Ninh Province and had his clinical samples taken for testing.

The 75th case is a 40-year-old living in District 2, HCM City. On March 4, she went to London, UK to visit her relatives but didn’t come into contact with any confirmed COVID-19 patients.

Last Saturday, she went back to Việt Nam on flight numbered VN50. Upon arrival, she showed no symptoms but per regulations, she was moved to quarantine at a makeshift hospital in Củ Chi District and had her samples taken, which returned positive on Wednesday.

The 76th patient is a 57-year-old French national arriving at Tân Sơn Nhất airport in HCM City on flight TK162 on March 10. He had visited HCM City, Huế, Cần Thơ, Hội An and Ninh Bình where he had his sample taken. He has been hospitalised in Hà Nội.

All eight new cases are reportedly in stable health conditions, according to the health ministry. — VNS