Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (Dec. 5): Nearly 14,000 New Cases, 203 Deaths Reported

Photo: Zing News

Vietnam records nearly 14,000 new Covid-19 cases, 203 deaths

The Ministry of Health (MoH) said on December 4 Vietnam has recorded 13,998 new coronavirus infections during the past 24 hours, with more than half of them detected in the community. The MoH's coronavirus update also shows an additional 203 Covid-19 patients have died and 1,107 more patients have recovered from the disease.

Most of the newly detected cases were in southern localities, with Ho Chi Minh City registering the highest number of infections at 1,636, up 325 cases from the previous day. It was followed by Can Tho, Tay Ninh, Ben Tre, Binh Thuan, Dong Thap, Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, Binh Phuoc, and Vinh Long that reported between 500 and 1,000 new cases each. Hanoi capital remains the largest coronavirus hotspot in the north, with 455 new cases confirmed during the past 24 hours. Other northern localities registering dozens of new cases each were Ha Giang, Bac Ninh, Hai Phong, Hung Yen, and Hai Duong.

Photo: Zing News

PM requests tightening Covid-19 prevention and control measures

The Prime Minister released a telegram on December 4 requesting ministries, agencies, and localities to tighten Covid-19 prevention and control measures against the possible spread of the mutated variant Omicron in the country. According to the PM, the Covid-19 outbreak has basically been brought under control since the Government issued a resolution on flexibly and safely adapting to and effectively controlling Covid-19 nearly two months ago.

However, he says the outbreak remains complicated in several localities and the Omicron variant has been recorded in a number of countries, raising public concern about the possible spread of the new variant in Vietnam. The PM requests ministries, agencies, and localities to strictly implement the Government’s resolution, and proactively assess risk levels in order to come up with appropriate prevention measures, without hindering business production and affecting people’s lives. The Government leader also asks them to spur socio-economic development, and speed up vaccinations along with observing Covid-19 guidelines including the 5K message set out by the Ministry of Health.

Vietnam has yet to detect any cases of the Omicron variant, although experts have warned that the variant may enter the country unless prevention measured are tightened. Two of Vietnam’s regional neighbors - Malaysia and Singapore - reported their first cases of this mutated variant this week.

Photo: VNA

CAAV proposes suspension of flights from 10 African countries

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has proposed the suspension of flights, including repatriation flights, from 10 African countries to prevent the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 from entering Vietnam. According to CAAV Director Dinh Viet Thang, along with banning flights from the 10 countries - Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Angola, and Zambia to Vietnam, passengers who traveled through these countries within 30 days before entering Vietnam should be denied entry into Vietnam.

The agency recommended that the Ministry of Transport ask the Ministry of Health to issue specific guidance on quarantine control over passengers arriving from some countries where Omicron has been found such as the Republic of Korea and Japan. The Transport Ministry should also ask the Ministry of Public Security to tighten checks at aviation border gates to detect passengers who have traveled through the countries hit by Omicron, the CAAV said.

According to the CAAV, many countries around the world have applied travel restrictions on people from African countries and/or those where Omicron has been discovered including Israel, EU countries, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Republic of Korea, Japan, and Cambodia.

Photo: VNA

Hanoi implements home quarantine for Covid contacts

Hanoi’s authorities are expanding home quarantine for F0 and F1 cases to 30 districts and townships, as prescribed by the health sector. The requirement was made after the Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Chu Ngoc Anh signed a dispatch to implement measures in response to a continued rise in Covid-19 cases in the city. It is expected that the number of new cases will continue to rise rapidly, particularly as travel traditionally increases in the last months of the year. There have been 1,751 new cases found in the city between November 25 to December 1, an average of 291 cases a day.

Anh asked the Department of Health to guide districts and townships in strengthening measures that control the pandemic while increasing the speed of vaccine distribution. The Department of Health will coordinate with the Department of Information and Communications to deploy software to manage the treatment of F0 cases at medical facilities and at home across the city. Localities have coordinated with the Department of Health to set up facilities to provide treatment for mild and asymptomatic F0 cases following the mobile medical station model, ensuring each ward, communes, and township have an average of at least 150 beds.

The Department of Tourism has been asked to cooperate with the Department of Health to review accommodation facilities that meet the requirements for F1 isolation. The city assigned districts and townships to coordinate with the Capital Command and the Department of Transport to transport F1 cases to the city's concentrated isolation facilities within 12 hours of a positive test result.

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