Tests from 23 people who were travelling on the same flight with the country’s 17th novel coronavirus (COVID-19) patient have come back negative, with all suspected cases remaining in quarantine in order to undergo a 14-day period of medical supervision, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control.

A Korean national at an quarantine area in HCM City's district 2 

The Center said that as of March 11, there had been 102 suspected COVID-19 cases reported in the southern city. Despite this, test results were negative for the COVID-19, including for a pilot onboard the flight that brought an infected British tourist from Hanoi to Hue.

With regard to people who came into contact with the 30th COVID-19 British patient who was traveling from London to Noi Bai International Airport on flight VN0054 before flying to Hue, the southern metropolis successfully identified the flight’s pilot who subsequently recorded negative test results for the virus after being put into isolation.

Despite producing negative results, each of these people will remain in quarantine in order to undergo a 14-day medical supervision period.

At present, Ho Chi Minh City has recorded six more people who came into contact with the 30th COVID-19 patient and swiftly moved to put them into quarantine so that their samples can be taken for testing.

In order to be proactive in dealing with the complicated developments of the COVID-19 epidemic, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health said it would be working to turn a number of hospitals, such as Can Gio District Hospital, into facilities capable of receiving and treating infected patients.

The hospital can hold up to 300 beds and will be provided with modern resuscitation equipment whilst negative pressure rooms will be installed to isolate any infected patients in line with standards set in specialised clinics.