On April 13, 2020, a few e-newspapers have posted “The 22nd patient positive for COVID-19 again after being hospital discharge in Da Nang”.
Accordingly, those sources stated that after being discharged from the hospital in Da Nang, the 22nd case moved to Ho Chi Minh city to take the flight back his home country on April 11, 2020. However, the test sample at the airport showed positive result with SARS-CoV-2.
Regarding this issue, Da Nang Department of Health has reported to Ministry of Health as following:
- Summary of surveillance and detection of the patient 22
– On March 1, 2020, the patient 22 (hereafter the patient) took the flight VN0054 of Vietnam Airlines (on the same flight with the case 17) and entered Vietnam on March 2, 2020 then landing Da Nang on flight VN163 at 10h20 on the same day (accompanying with his friend, the patient 23).
– On March 7, 2020, right after being informed of the case 17 of COVID-19 in Vietnam, Da Nang Department of Health has directed the related units to investigate, inspect and take samples of all cases associated with the case 17 within Da Nang, including the patient.
On March 8, 2020, the patient’s test result using RT-PCR method at Da Nang Center for Disease Control showed positive with SARS-CoV-2. The result was then corroborated by Nha Trang Institute of Pasteur.
– From March 8, 2020 till now, there has been 147 cases in close contact (F1) and 186 cases in close contact with F1 under surveillance.
Of which, there detected 1 positive case (the patient 35 in Vietnam or the 3rd case in Da Nang) while the remaining cases showed negative results with SARS-CoV-2 and no symptoms for the virus.
- Treatment procedure, hospital discharge and medical quarantine.
The patient has been transferred to Da Nang Hospital for quarantine, inspection and treatment from March 8 to March 27, 2020. During the stay at Da Nang Hospital, the patient had stable vascular, body temperature and blood pressure as well as showing no fever, no cough, no shortness of breath, normal eating, and mental stability.
Lung X-ray results were normal on March 8, 2020 and March 12, 2020 and the same for liver and kidney function tests. The patient was tested 3 times on March 19, 23 and 25, 2020 and all were negative for SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Under the provisions of the Ministry of Health in Decision No. 322 / QD-BYT dated February 6, 2020 and Decision No. 1344 / QD-BYT dated March 25, 2020 guiding the diagnosis and treatment of acute respiratory infections caused by SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), the patient was discharged on 27/3/2020 (after 20 days of treatment) as meeting all of the following conditions:
– No fever for at least 3 days.
– Clinical symptoms improved, good condition, stable vital signs, normal organ function, blood test returned to normal, pulmonary X-ray improved.
– There are at least two consecutive samples of respiratory tract fluid (oropharynx and pharyngeal fluid) that were taken apart 24 hours and negative for SARS-CoV-2.
Afterwards, the patients were allowed to stay in isolation for 14 days at Sam Grand Hotel (the concentrated isolation facility prepared by the People’s Committee of Da Nang City) in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Health. During the quarantine, the patient stayed in room 1006, did not go out and had no contact with anyone, went through daily health check, body temperature checks and had food supplies.
In the morning of April 10, 2020, the patient was in a normal state of health, eligible for completing medical isolation after the hospital discharge.
The patient was transported to Da Nang International Airport and transited to Ho Chi Minh City on flight VN 125 to go back home country.
- The measures undertaken
After getting information from the online sources regarding the above-mentioned case, Department of Health in Da Nang has conducted the following measures:
– Reviewing the process of detecting and supervising relevant cases, the process of treatment, medical isolation for the patient after hospital discharge, the whole process was coordinated by Da Nang health sector with relevant agencies and units as regulated.
– From March 27, 2020 to April 10, 2020, there were other 43 people under medical isolation at Sam Grand Hotel with the patient.
During the quarantine, the patient did not contact with anyone. Each person was isolated in private room that met the quarantine regulations.
– Making a list and taking samples of 23 health workers, staff at Sam Grand Hotel and taxi driver of the patient from the hotel to the airport.
Test Result: 23/23 samples negative for SARS-CoV-2.
– Listing all cases related to the flight VN125: There are 12 people directly serving VN125 flight and 10 security staff. These cases have been sampled for testing and await results. These are recommended to conduct measures to prevent and control the epidemic, limit contact with other people, and restrict movement.
During the journey from Sam Grand Hotel to Da Nang airport, on the flight and when landing at Tan Son Nhat airport, the patient always wore a N95 mask.
Department of Health in Da Nang City instructs all unites to continuously coordinate and review cases of contact with patients during the itinerary to promptly test and apply appropriate medical interventions.
- Assessment and suggestions
According to the Department of Health in Da Nang City, from the time the patient was exposed to the pathogen (March 1, 2020), then eligible for discharge (as prescribed by the Ministry of Health), completed quarantine in Da Nang, being sampled at Tan Son Nhat airport (April 11, 2020) and being positive again for SARS-CoV-2 virus (as posted by the online portals), it is 40 days in total. This is a special case and not specified in any technical documents as well as the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and the National Steering Committee.
From the time the patient was sampled at the airport to the time when the media published the information, the Department of Health in Da Nang City has received no official information about the test for the patient 22. Also, according to the online portals, “the patient has now returned to England”.
The Department of Health in Danang City reported to the Ministry of Health for information and direction.
Respectfully./.
