The Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control said on Saturday morning that all people in direct contact with recently announced local COVID-19 cases had tested negative for the virus.  

A total of 2,261 people in contact with patients 1,342, 1,347, 1,348, and 1,349 were tested for the novel coronavirus.

Among them, 861 were F1 individuals – people who had direct contact with positive COVID-19 cases, and 1,400 were F2 people who had direct contact with the F1s.

In addition, 655 others were tested for community review, bringing the total number of people taking the virus test to 2,916.

Results of 2,528 samples returned negative for the virus, while the remaining 384 community review samples are still waiting for test results.

As many as 295 people are being quarantined in concentrated centers whereas nearly 566 others are isolated at home or other accommodations, and four are monitored at medical facilities.

Ho Chi Minh City recorded no new local COVID-19 cases for three days in a row as of Saturday morning.

The four patients 1,342, 1,347, 1,348, and 1,349 are now in good health, said Nguyen Tri Dung, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control.

Before patient 1,342’s third test returned positive for the virus, he had developed some mild symptoms such as fatigue, stuffy nose, sore throat, sputum, and decreased appetite, while the other three cases were asymptomatic.

Patient 1,342, a 28-year-old flight attendant with Vietnam Airlines, tested positive for the novel coronavirus on November 28 while self-quarantining.

He returned to Vietnam from Japan on flight VN5301 on November 14 and was quarantined at a facility managed by Vietnam Airlines at 115 Hong Ha Street in Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City from November 14 to 18.

When staying at the quarantine center, the flight attendant came into contact with his colleague, patient 1,325, who was also put in quarantine there, but in a different isolation area.

As patient 1,342’s first two tests for the virus while at the quarantine facility returned negative, the flight attendant was let go to self-isolate at home, as per regulations.

He hosted a male friend during the self-quarantine at his home.

The flight attendant also visited several public places, including his university, and came into contact with many others during that period.

He was registered as patient 1,342 on November 29.

The friend who stayed with him was confirmed as patient 1,347 on Monday.

Two other individuals who had been in direct contact with the friend were then confirmed as patients 1,348 and 1,349 on Tuesday.

Vietnam has recorded 1,361 coronavirus patients as of Saturday afternoon, with 1,220 recoveries and 35 virus-related deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

Before the detection of patient 1,347, the country had gone 88 days with zero domestic infections.

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