A Vietnamese returnee from the United States has been diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, bringing Vietnam’s tally of coronavirus infections to 1,421, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH).

The patient, a 22-year-old woman of Hanoi capital, took VN415 flight from the US to Hanoi on Dec. 21, transiting through the Republic of Korea.

She was put in quarantine as soon as she landed at Noi Bai International Airport, the MoH said iin its 18.00hrs update.

She tested positive for the virus on Dec. 23 and was transferred to Hanoi-based Hospital of Tropical Diseases for medical observation and treatment.

This is the 728th imported case Vietnam has detected since the virus was reported in the country early this year.

Vietnam expects more imported cases in the coming time as more and more Vietnamese citizens stranded overseas due to COVID-19 have registered to be repatriated.

Relevant Vietnamese agencies are working closely with their counterparts of countries where Vietnamese citizens are left stranded to arrange repatriation flights to bring the citizens home.

The COVID-19 outbreak is evolving in a complicated manner globally, especially in the United Kingdom where a new variant strain of the virus was detected recently.

At a meeting on Dec. 23, Vietnamese Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said his ministry is keeping a close watch on the mutation of this virus strain to come up with appropriate preventive measures.

He called on people to stay calm and keep implementing current preventive measures.