Two Russian citizens were confirmed to have tested negative for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on January 12, two days after initially relapsing.

The two patients re-tested positive for COVID-19 on January 10 after previously being given the all-clear and completing their quarantine period in Ba Ria – Vung Tau province, southern Vietnam.

In addition, three F1 cases who came into close contact with the two patients had their samples taken as part of the RT-PCR test, with their results coming back negative for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Originally, the 31-year-old woman travelled to Vietnam in December 2020 with her one-year-old daughter to be reunited with her husband, who is currently working for the Vietnam-Russia oil and gas joint venture Vietsovpetro in Vung Tau city, Ba Ria-Vung Tau province.

The pair were sent to complete their quarantine period at a hotel in Cam Lam district in central Khanh Hoa province immediately upon arrival, where they tested positive for the virus on November 26. After receiving treatment, the duo successfully recovered on December 25, being given the all-clear and placed into quarantine at a hotel in Loc Tho ward of Nha Trang city. Their quarantine was completed on January 7, during which both twice tested negative for the virus.

Experts in the country believe COVID-19 patients who relapse after being given the all-clear are not contagious. 

According to Prof. Nguyen Van Kinh, former director and now senior expert of the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, none of the country’s relapse cases have shown any clinical symptoms. 

Prof. Kinh added that all relapse patients admitted to the hospital had been given a viral culture, although the virus did not grow. It is possible that the patients received positive results due to the test detecting the gene of the virus, not the active virus which is contagious.