Thirty-five Chinese nationals who illegally entered VietnNam and stayed at a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 for the first test, HCMC’s healthcare centre said on March 7.

The group were spotted by local police when they hired rooms at a hotel located on Ly Tu Trong Street, District 1, HCMC on March 6 morning.

They have been quarantined at the Cu Chi Field Hospital and will have samples taken for further testing.

Nguyen Thi Quynh Trieu, chairwoman of Ben Thanh ward, said after receiving the first set of results, the lockdown has been lifted at the hotel.

Authorities will continue to test people returning from social distancing areas and ask them to make health declarations at airports, coach stations, healthcare centres and industrial parks.

As of March 7 morning, the city has taken 25,853 random samples at crowded places like airports, train stations, bus stations. As many as 25,637 samples were negative and the remaining 216 samples are waiting for results.

VIET NAM NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK