The centralised quarantine site for Vietnam Airlines crew located in Ward 2, Tân Bình District is closed. VNA/VNS Photo

HCMC - Two more community infections of COVID-19 have been detected in HCM City, both connected to the teacher who broke Viet Nam’s three month run of no locally transmitted cases.

One is a 28-year-old woman who is a student of the patient, and the other is reported to be his 14-month old nephew.

Health Minister Nguyễn Thanh Long confirmed the new cases during a meeting on Tuesday.

The English teacher lives in Ward 3 of District 6 and had caught the virus from his friend, a flight attendant with Vietnam Airlines who had breached quarantine rules.

The pair of new cases both came into contact with the teacher, his student during classes he was taking and the toddler who was staying at his home.

All the new cases were confirmed positive after being taken into quarantine.

A number of other people who have come into close contact or secondary contact with the teacher have been tracked by the authorities, tested, and removed to quarantine facilities.

The teacher is a friend of a flight attendant from Vietnam Airlines who tested positive on Sunday. They came into contact when the attendant was under quarantine at a rented house.

Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on Tuesday ordered clarification of responsibilities of those committing the violation.

He also ordered a temporary suspension of all commercial flights to Việt Nam. Repatriation flights will continue, but only for people in difficult situations and special cỉrcumstances. All repatriated passengers must undergo 14 days in quarantine.

The HCM City’s authorities on Tuesday closed a centralised quarantine site for Vietnam Airlines crew located in Ward 2, Tân Bình District.

All crew members being quarantined there have been moved to a different camp in Củ Chi District.

Two primary schools in District 6 were closed on Tuesday after four teachers became F1 and F2 of the community-transmitted case confirmed on Monday.

The city’s Disease Control Centre on Tuesday sent a notice asking people who went to places that Patient 1347 visited to report to local healthcare facilities and take the tests.

The places include Highlands Coffee at Vạn Hạnh Shopping Mall in District 10 from 8pm to 9pm on November 22; ICOOL karaoke bar at 120 Thành Thái Street, District 10 from 10pm to 12pm on November 23; a snail restaurant at 47 Công chúa Ngọc Hân, District 11 from 8pm to 10pm on November 25; CityGym at 119 Phổ Quang, Phú Nhuận District from 1pm to 5pm on November 18, 23, 24, 25 and 26; Key English centre at 59 Nguyễn Bá Tuyển, Tân Bình District from November 18 to 26; Key English centre at 285/24 Cách Mạng Tháng Tám, District 10 from November 18 to 27.

The city’s Disease Control Centre warned that those quarantined at home not to go out in unnecessary situations, limit contact with others and record daily activities in at least 28 days since they visited the above-mentioned places.

If there they show symptoms like fever, coughing or breathing difficulties, they must report to local healthcare facilities.

Minister of Health Nguyễn Thanh Long warned the infection risk in Việt Nam always remained high, especially when the number of repatriation flights will increase during the holiday season.

The minister asked the national flag carrier to follow quarantine protocols at their registered sites and people’s committees of Hà Nội and HCM City where the airlines’ quarantine sites are located to supervise the process.

The minister also proposed not resuming commercial flights due to possible risks they might pose.

He said all Vietnamese nationals, even those on repatriation flights must have virus-free certificates to be qualified to enter the country.

He warned that people must continue to wear face masks, sanitise their hands, social distance, avoid crowds and fill in medical declarations.

Meanwhile, two more imported cases were detected on Tuesday evening. The men, aged 47 and 57, were both repatriated from Canada. VNS