A facility of the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases (NHTD) in Hanoi, the leading hospital in treating Covid-19 in the north of Vietnam, has been isolated after a doctor working there tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.

Kim Chung facility of the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in isolation on May 5. Photos: Nguyen Khanh/Tuoi Tre

All staff and workers at the hospital's facility in Kim Chung commune, Dong Anh district will be quarantined at the site from May 5 until further notice.

Notably, initial testing of 307 samples in the facility No.2 shows 14 positive results, including two health workers, eight patients, and four patient relatives.

More than 400 other samples of the hospital’s staff and patients will give results late Wednesday [May 5].

Dr Pham Ngoc Thach, NHTD’s director, said the source of the infection emanates from Covid-19 patients being treated in the hospital. 

Around 827 people, doctors, health workers, staff, patients (including 101 Covid-19 patients), and their relatives are currently in the premises of the hospital.

The facility is the second one of the hospital. The first one is located in Giai Phong Street, Hanoi.

Chu Ngoc Anh, chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee (2nd left) work for the isolation of the hospital on May 5.

Chu Ngoc Anh, chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee, said the lockdown is aimed to protect frontline health workers and prevent the transmission to the community.

With the infection, the hospital, which has two centers in Hanoi, will halt the medical checkup and treatment of inpatient in both facilities. Only newly-infected Covid-19 cases will be admitted.

Meanwhile, NHTD will also speed up the vaccination to all its staff.

The NHTD is the frontline health facilities treating Covid-19 patients, where has successfully treated those of critical conditions.

In 2020, two doctors of this hospital had infected with the virus.

In the Covid-19 pandemic, the hospital has sent its doctors to help stamp out the outbreak in different parts of Vietnam.