On Monday evening, the Da Nang Department of Health sent a report to the Vietnamese Ministry of Health about medical examination, isolation and treatment procedures performed on a British man who became the first coronavirus patient in Da Nang and the 22^nd patient in Viet Nam on 8 March.

The report was made after some Vietnamese newspapers online stated that the British recovered coronavirus patient tested positive again for the illness after being discharged from hospital and released from quarantine in Da Nang.

The British man flew to Da Nang from Ha Noi on 2 March. He became the first case to have contracted coronavirus in the city on 8 March after sharing a plane with Viet Nam's 17^th coronavirus patient returning from Europe on 2 March.

From 8 until 27 March, the British man received treatment at the Da Nang General Hospital.

The man was discharged from hospital on 27 March after three consecutive negative results at least 24 hours apart. He was clinically well and suitable for discharge from hospital in accordance with criteria for hospital discharge of Covid-19 patients under the guidance of the Vietnamese Ministry of Health.

Included are clinical criteria (e.g. no fever for > 3 days, improved respiratory symptoms, pulmonary imaging showing obvious absorption of inflammation); laboratory evidence of SARS-CoV-2 clearance in respiratory samples; and 2 to 4 negative RT-PCR tests for respiratory tract samples (nasopharynx and throat swabs with sampling interval ≥ 24 hours).

The man continued to self-isolate for 14 days at the Sam Grand Hotel located at 7 Pham Van Dong Street after discharge following the Ministry of Health's guidelines.

During his self-quarantine period at the hotel, the British man remained in room No 1006, and he did not go out and had no contact with anyone. In addition, he had his temperature taken and served with 3 meals daily.

In the morning of 10 April, the British man was in a normal state of health and he was eligible for returning home after completing his 14-day self-isolation period at his residence after discharge.

On 10 April, the British man left Da Nang for Ho Chi Minh City to take a transit flight to go back home.

On 11 April, medical staff at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport conducted a Covid-19 quick test on the British man before he flew back home. As a result, his test results came back positive one day later. At that time, the foreign man already returned to his hometown.

Almost 40 days passed since the British man has been exposed to the deadly virus (1 March), his positive result for the deadly virus is very special and there have been no such cases reported in Viet Nam so far. Therefore, the Da Nang Department of Health sent the report about this case, and the city is waiting for instructions from the Ministry of Health and the National Steering Committee on Covid-19 Prevention and Control.

By PHAN CHUNG - Translated by MAI DUNG