Attending the emergency night meeting on March 6 were: Hanoi Party Committee Secretary Vuong Dinh Hue, Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chung, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long and heads of related departments and agencies.

The patient did not make medical declarations

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Duc Chung - Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee officially determined that Hanoi now has a patient who is Covid-19 positive. The patient’s name is N.H.N, 26 years old, working as a hotel manager in Truc Bach Ward, Ba Dinh District.

Hanoi Steering Committee of Covid-19 Epidemic Control had an emergency night meeting on March 6, 2020

Head of Hanoi City said that on February 15, the patient left Noi Bai airport to visit her family members in London (UK). As of February 18, Ms. N.H.N. had a flight from London to Milan (Italy) to travel. On February 25, N. traveled to Paris (France) for a day and met her sister (who was informed to be infected with Covid-19). On February 26, N. returned to London.

On 2/29, N. had some coughing but did not go to the doctor. On March 1, N. felt tired and fatigue. On the same day, N. took a flight numbered VN0054 of Vietnam Airlines. The plane landed at Noi Bai airport at 4:30 am on March 2. At Noi Bai airport, N. had no fever.

After completing entry procedures, a private driver of N.’s family brought her home at Truc Bach Street, Ba Dinh District. When returning home, N. took the initiative to isolate herself in a private room, wore a mask and limit contact with the family members.

The patient started to have a mild fever on March 2. On March 5, the patient developed continuous fever (38°C) with a lot of coughs, sputum and felt fatigue. The patient went to Hong Ngoc Hospital at 55 Yen Ninh, Ba Dinh for examination and was diagnosed with pneumonia (the X-ray image had blurry spots on the right lung). Due to returning from abroad, the patient was transferred to Kim Chung Central Tropical Diseases Hospital for follow-up treatment. At 6pm on March 5, the patient was admitted to the Kim Chung Central Tropical Diseases Hospital and is currently under strict medical isolation and monitoring in the Hospital's negative pressure room.

Promptly implement isolation and prevention measures

Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chung said that the City has organized to isolate all households and individuals at houses numbering from 125 to 139 at Truc Bach Street, Ba Dinh District. The city has identified that there were nearly 20 doctors in Hong Ngoc Hospital having contact with the patient N. Currently, the city is focusing on thorough isolation for close contacts of the patient N., including the private driver of N.’s family and will soon announce close contacts of patient N. so that people can grasp the information and proactively prevent Covid-19 epidemic.

Speaking at the urgent meeting of the Steering Committee for Disease Prevention and Control, Hanoi Party Committee Secretary Vuong Dinh Hue said: “Until now, what we are concerned about has become reality, that Hanoi has its first patient with Covid-19 infection. We must not be careless, but stay calm and not get over-worried.”

Mr. Hue requested the Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control to understand the epidemiological situation related to patient N. In particular, the City must get full information of the flight crew, the flight attendants and the passengers on the flight number VN0054.

"I have just contacted the head of Vietnam Airlines to request to suspend operating the VN0054 aircraft," Hue said and informed, through a review, there are 22 households with 176 people in Truc Bach ward that had close contact with N. patient, therefore it requires close control. “It is necessary to conduct early testing for the households in this area. They should be taken to hospitals for isolation rather than in a residential area if necessary.” - Mr. Hue added.

Hanoi Health urgently implements epidemic prevention measures at relevant places

The Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee also directed the related units to protect health workers from the occurrence of the epidemic in the City. At the meeting, Hanoi Party Committee Secretary also mentioned plans to bring students back to school. Specifically, according to Mr. Hue in the afternoon on March 7, based on practical conditions, Hanoi City will decide whether students will go to school or not.

It is known that immediately after recording information on the suspected case, Head of Hanoi Department of Health, Head of Hanoi Disease Control Center, Chairman of People's Committee of Ba Dinh District, health forces and the district’s forces came directly to the patient's house to direct the prevention and control processes of the epidemic.

Specifically, a zoning map of the patient’s area was established, stations were set up at both ends of Truc Bach quarter, closing all the shops in the area.

The Hanoi Center for Disease Control sent 3 quick response teams in coordination with the teams of the Ba Dinh District Health Center and related units to conduct epidemiological investigations and make a list of close contacts with the patient and close contacts in the area where the patient lives; at Hong Ngoc Hospital; at Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases Kim Chung and reviewed the patient’s entry process at Noi Bai airport.

Hanoi Health has implemented a disinfectant spray with Cloramin B at the patient's home, the surrounding area, Hong Ngoc Hospital and the houses of close contacts. All close contacts were transferred to Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases 2 for concentrated isolation and testing samples. For those who have close contact with those who have close contact with the patient, they were requested to give statistical listing and follow the regulations of medical isolation at their neighborhoods.

Important things to know about the Covid-19 epidemic

The disease caused by Covid-19 virus primarily originated from animal sources but has the ability to spread from person to person. The human-to-human transmission occurs continuously. Currently, from all over the world, up to 5:30PM on March 6, 2020, 98,570 people have been infected with 3,394 death cases.

When entering the human body, Covid-19 Virus will cause acute respiratory infection syndrome, leading to respiratory failure, even death. The new strain of the corona virus Covid-19 can be transmitted through 4 main routes:

- Through contact with the body fluids of an infected person (drops of saliva from coughing, sneezing, runny nose, etc.).

- Direct transmission: Due to contact with an infected person, including shaking hands with an infected person without taking preventive measures.

- Indirect transmission: When we accidentally touch the infected surface, then put it on the eyes, nose or mouth.

- Through faeces: The patients’ caregivers may be exposed to the virus when handling the waste of patients.

Symptoms of infection with the new strain of the corona virus Covid-19

The symptoms of a Covid-19 virus infection are quite similar to those of a cold. Therefore, it is necessary to perform tests to determine whether someone is infected. Covid-19 symptoms can range from mild to severe level, including:

- Headache, discomfort

- High fever (over 38°C)

- Runny nose

- Coughing or sore throat

- Feeling short of breath

- Myalgia, fatigue

In fact, each patient has different resistance so there will be different disease manifestations. Covid-19 incubation period is from 2 to 14 days. During this period, there already exists a virus in the body but there is no clear sign. When the disease begins, Covid-19 will cause fever and respiratory damages. In severe cases, pneumonia causes death, especially in cases of those who have underlying diseases.

As recommended by the Ministry of Health, to prevent and control Covid-19 diseases, people should note:

- If you have signs such as fever, coughs or having trouble breathing, you should avoid going out or traveling. In case of having suspected symptoms of the disease, it is necessary to immediately seek medical attention for timely diagnosis and treatment. Besides, you need to share information about your travel schedule with the medical staff.

- Wash your hands often with soap, do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth. Limit contact with people with coughs or fever.

- Cover your mouth and use a tissue or sleeves when coughing or sneezing. Put the tissue in the trash immediately after using, then wash your hands.

- Immediately notify the airline, automobile, railway personnel if there are signs of sickness while going out or traveling. Go to medical facilities as soon as possible.

- Eat well-cooked foods.

- Do not spit in public. Do not get close to wild or domestic animals.

- Wear a mask when going to a crowded place or contacting people with disease symptoms.

- Use a mask properly, the mask must cover the mouth when in use.

- For disposable masks, immediately throw them in the trash after use; and wash hands after throwing them away./.