A Chinese national who had made an illegal entry into Vietnam was confirmed as one of the Southeast Asian country’s 24 new coronavirus cases on Friday, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

The 27-year-old Chinese unlawfully crossed the border with seven compatriots on July 27, the committee said in a contact tracing report.

The eight Chinese citizens traveled by car to Ho Chi Minh City from July 27 to 29.

They were detected on July 30 and sent to a collective quarantine center. They tested negative for the novel coronavirus three times then.

One of them, the 27-year-old patient, tested positive on August 12, with the remaining negative.

He is now isolated for treatment at a field hospital in Cu Chi District, Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnam confirmed 24 new cases, 12 recoveries, and one virus-related death on Friday.

Fifteen of the patients were logged in Da Nang, the national coronavirus hotbed, five in neighboring Quang Nam Province, three in northern Hai Duong Province, and one in Ho Chi Minh City.

The country has documented 929 COVID-19 patients, including 328 imported cases, as of Friday night, the Ministry of Health said.

A total of 437 patients have recovered from the disease while 21 have died to date. Most of the deaths had serious comorbid conditions.

Vietnam has registered 461 domestic infections, most traced to Da Nang, since July 25, when the coastal city recorded the first community transmission after the nation had spent 99 days documenting no local cases.

Three hundred and twenty-five cases were registered in Da Nang, 86 in Quang Nam, eight in Ho Chi Minh City, seven in Hanoi, seven in Quang Tri Province, six in Bac Giang Province, five in Quang Ngai Province, four in Lang Son Province, four in Hai Duong Province, three in Da Lak Province, two in Dong Nai Province, one in Thai Binh Province, one Ha Nam Province, one in Thanh Hoa Province, and one in Khanh Hoa Province.

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