On Wednesday evening, Dr Nguyen Thanh Trung, Deputy Director of the Da Nang General Hospital, denied spreading rumours on social media that a doctor in his hospital has tested positive for the deadly virus.

Medical staff of the Da Nang General Hospital wearing protective clothing when they come in contact with suspected patients in quarantine rooms.

Dr Trung said, on 8 March, a 29-year-old female resident of Hai Chau District’s Binh Thuan Ward saw a doctor in the Da Nang General Hospital for health checkups. She, then, has become the third coronavirus patient in Da Nang.  

Apart from this doctor, 9 other medical workers in the hospital had close contact with the infected patient.

“After the woman was found to have the virus, the hospital placed the doctor and other medical workers who had close contact with the infected patient in isolation, and took their throat swabs and blood serum samples to test for the virus. As a result, their test results came back negative, but they remain quarantined at the hospital for 14 days” Mr Trung remarked.

Dr Trung said that, on arriving and leaving the his hospital, visitors and patients are required to undergo temperature screening at the designated area, to wear face masks and wash their hand with disinfectant liquid in order to prevent the spread of the virus. Meanwhile, the hospital’s staff are using personal protective equipment such as face masks, glasses and gloves to protect their safety amid coronavirus outbreak.

By PHAN CHUNG - Translated by MAI DUNG