A quarantine area at Hai Hau general hospital in northern Nam Dinh province

This has brought the total number of infection cases in the capital city of Hanoi to five and in the country to 39.

The 25-year-old man had close contact with the 24th COVID-19 patient, who was tested positive for the virus in northern Quang Ninh province, while guiding a group of foreign tourists on a tour to Ninh Binh province on March 4.

The tour guide was hospitalized at the National Hospital for Tropical Disease No 2 in Hanoi’s Dong Anh district on March 8, with slight fever but no coughing or shortness of breath.

His sample was tested positive for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 by the National Hospital for Tropical Disease No 2.

A later test by the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology also confirmed the man was infected with the virus.

The patient has been quarantined at the National Hospital for Tropical Disease No 2 and in stable health condition.

The Ministry of Health requested the Hanoi People’s Committee to track people who had contact with the patient, strictly monitor the health of all persons who had close contact with him and sterilize the environment around his home in Cau Giay district.

HCM City tracks UK passenger on Flight VN0054

The Ho Chi Minh City Centre for Disease Control and Prevention announced on March 11 that it is tracking a passenger from the UK on Flight VN0054 who had close contact with the 17th COVID-19 patient in Vietnam

Groman Manthew James Knight, 32, arrived at Noi Bai International Airport on March 2.

Later, he stayed at An Ha hotel, Son Phong ward, Hoi An city in the central province of Quang Nam, on March 5.

On March 7, he left Hoi An for Ho Chi Minh City.

The man is now in Vietnam but his residence remains unknown.

The centre called on medical centres of districts and wards to track the passenger for quarantine in line with regulation.

As of March 11, Vietnam recorded a total of 38 infection cases.

Hanoi allocates more money for COVID-19 screening tests

Workers at Hanoi's disease control centre test samples taken from people returning from areas affected by COVID-19

The People’s Committee of Hanoi has decided to add 3.5 billion VND (151,000 USD) sourced from the city’s budget reserves to the funding for COVID-19 screening tests for those at quarantine centres.

The money will be used to purchase materials for taking samples and hire qualified establishments recognised by the Health Ministry to conduct screening tests.

As of March 11 afternoon, Hanoi had recorded four COVID-19 cases, who are currently under treatment at the National Hospital for Tropical Disease No. 2.

It had also tested 2,277 samples collected from people returning from coronavirus-hit areas and kept at quarantine centres, and all were negative.