Son Tra District police chief Colonel Phan Minh Man said Monday that his department and the district's Health Center have placed the Chinese nationals in isolation in a hotel on Loseby Street in the central city.

Initial test results done of their samples have been negative (for Covid-19)," said Nguyen Tien Hong, deputy director of Da Nang's Health Department.

The Chinese nationals were discovered by police Saturday during a site inspection.

"These people came to Da Nang to trade in seafood with business sources they knew before. They took an unofficial route [to Vietnam]," Colonel Man said.

Also Saturday, another 21 Chinese nationals were placed quarantine after law enforcement personnel in Dien Ban Town in the central province of Quang Nam inspected a residential area in Dien Duong Ward on following tip-offs from locals.

Nguyen Van Hai, director of Quang Nam's Health Department, said Sunday afternoon that samples from the 21 Chinese people showed they are negative for the virus. He said they will be sent back to China.

Vietnam’s Covid-19 prevention protocol requires all people entering the country to be compulsorily quarantined for 14 days, during which they will be tested for the virus several times. The quarantining and testing are free for both locals and foreigners.

As of Monday, the national Covid-19 tally is 384, of these 24 are active as 360 patients have recovered after treatment. Vietnam has recorded no community transmission of the virus in over three months.