N.T.L.H., 49, and her son T.H., 18, who both hail from Hai Phong City, tested positive for the novel coronavirus after their flight from Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport landed in Australia on March 1.

The two cases were confirmed by the Hanoi Center for Disease Control in the late hours of Wednesday.

As per contact tracing details, the mother and son headed to Noi Bai from Hai Phong’s Le Chan Ward on February 26, when they tested negative for the coronavirus.

They then boarded the plane to Australia through Singapore on February 28.  

After landing in Australia on March 1, T.H. received a weak positive test result, while his mother L.H. tested negative for the COVID-19 pathogen. 

After undergoing further screening, T.H. received another positive result on March 3, while L.H. also got a positive result on March 6.

Following reports of the cases, Hai Phong authorities have cordoned off, fumigated, and performed an epidemiological investigation on the house of the infected mother and son on Nguyen Cong Tru Street.

Meanwhile, medical forces in Hai Phong rolled out contact tracing and isolating measures, with 36 residents labeled as high risk and 13 direct contacts of the patients tested for COVID-19.

All 49 cases received negative results on their first tests, Pham Thu Xanh, head of the local rapid response team, said on Thursday.

Those who came into close contact with the two transmission cases from February 20 to February 28 in Hai Phong are required to immediately report to the local health clinic for further advice, said the Department of Health of Hai Phong. 

Residents can also contact the hotline of the Department of Health at 097878.9499, 090.2210.218, or 091.249.8366 for instructions.

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