Two Vietnamese medical workers found to have contracted coronavirus, total hits 87

The 86^th and 87^th patients, who work as nurses at Hanoi-based Bach Mai Hospital, was confirmed with the virus, after having samples tested at the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.

The 86^th patient, aged 54, had a holiday in Con Dao on March 6. She came back to Hanoi on March 8 and resumed working a day later with no clinical signs. She had had symptoms of chest tightness three day afterwards.

According to report, she had close contacts with patient No. 87, aged 34, in elevator, dining room and else where in the hospital.   

On March 18 the 87^th patient had symptoms including fatigue, cough, fever and was tested at the Department of Microbiology of Bach Mai Hospital, giving positive result.

The Bach Mai Hospital has tested staffers who had contact with the patients in the last 10 days. Initial results showed that all were negative for the virus. 

The two female patients have become two first medical workers in Vietnam infected with novel coronavirus. The Centre for Tropical Diseases in the hospital decided to suspend receiving in-house patients from Wednesday night. 

As of Friday afternoon, Vietnam has confirmed 87 infected cases and 17 of them completely recovered and were dischaged from hospitals. 

The pandemic has spread to 182 countries and territories, infecting 244,601 people, claiming over 10,000 lives as of Friday afternoon. 

► Vietnam discharges one more coronavirus patient from hospital, total recovered reaches 17

► Vietnam reports 9 newly confirmed cases of coronavirus, mostly coming from UK, total hits 85

Source: Ministry of Health