Two Chinese nationals in Vietnam have tested positive for the latest coronavirus, international news media have reported.

They are being treated in hospital, officials said on Thursday, Jan. 23.

A Chinese man living in Ho Chi Minh City was infected by his father, who travelled to Vietnam on Jan. 13 from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the ground zero of the virus.

The father was hospitalised on Jan. 17 with a high fever.

Days later his son showed symptoms, health officials said.

Both were quarantined and tested positive for the coronavirus.

A doctor, Nguyen Ngoc Sang, said on Thursday at a meeting at Ho Chi Minh City's Cho Ray hospital: "The patients have shown signs of good recovery, (their) fever has reduced and they can eat now."

All precautions must be taken

Vietnam's Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Truong Son urged all precautions to avoid any further spread, saying that any suspected cases should be tested immediately.

The latest coronavirus is a new infection that has already killed 17 people in China and infected more than 570.

Vietnam and China share a border.

Vietnam welcomes millions of visitors a year from its northern neighbour.

After it first emerged in China on Dec. 31, Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore and the United States have all reported confirmed cases of the new virus.

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