Vietnam COVID-19 Updates (Feb 18): Hanoi to test all people from pandemic-hit areas
	Vietnam COVID-19 Updates (Feb 17): 40 new case, Hanoi allows indoor eateries to operate if meeting safety requirements
	Vietnam COVID-19 Updates (Feb 16): 42 new cases found, Hanoi closes street F&B shops

Photo: VN Express

3 new cases in the morning

Vietnam confirmed nine more locally-transmitted COVID-19 cases in the past 12 hours to 6 pm on February 22, and 3 more cases in the morning of February 23, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control. 9 out of the new infections were found in Hai Duong - the country's current largest hotspot, and the remaining three in the northern city of Hai Phong.

All of the new infections are related to previously confirmed patients in the province, where one of the first two cases in Vietnam's ongoing Covid-19 outbreak was detected on January 28, when community transmissions returned to the nation after almost two months.

Since then, infections have spread to 13 cities and provinces, with Hai Duong alone accounting for 620, its neighbor Quang Ninh reported 60, HCMC 36, Hanoi 35.

Photo: VN Express

US Business Insider: Vietnam ranked 2nd for successfully handling the coronavirus pandemic

"Throughout the pandemic, each country has implemented its own response to the virus — some better than others. Thinktank The Lowy Institute published an index on January 28 ranking 98 countries and their success in handling the coronavirus pandemic. Vietnam ranked No. 2 behind New Zealand. The US ranked 94", said the journal in a recent article.

Instead of locking the entire country down, the prime minister implemented social distancing measures throughout the country for two weeks in April. By early May, people across Vietnam were largely able to return to their regular lives. "The government adopted a zero-tolerance approach to get rid of the virus," it said. "Basic measures were implemented, but it wasn't easy. When people trust the government, people do what the government says."

Business Insider emphasized: "Vietnam's approach to combating the virus deserves more recognition". Vietnam had the potential to be a hotspot because of its location and population. But by using a low-cost model and implementing basic safety measures (like washing your hands and wearing a mask), it was able to contain the virus within a few months of the pandemic. No other country with the same size or population has contained the virus the way Vietnam has. Despite sharing a border with the country where the outbreak started, Vietnam's success story is one worth telling. Though ranked 2nd after New Zealand, Vietnam had a better response to fighting the virus than New Zealand, the journal read.

Photo: VN Express

Localities' preventive measures updates

Hai Phong to apply social distancing in COVID-19 hit areas: Social distancing measures will be implemented in areas of northern Hai Phong city which have recorded new COVID-19 patients, according to the city’s leaders at an urgent meeting held on February 22. The move came after the city announced a community-transmission case of COVID-19 earlier the same day. Areas relating to the patient’s travel records will be isolated while Loi Dong hamlet, Hoang Dong commune, Thuy Nguyen district where the patient lives and Hai Phong city’s Hospital of Transport where she works has been locked down.

Hanoi: lockdown measures lifted in 14 areas: Lockdown and social distancing measures were lifted in 14 out of 18 areas in Hanoi, Director of the municipal Department of Health Nguyen Khac Hien reported on February 22. According to Vice Director of the department Hoang Duc Hanh, Hanoi has basically completed SARS-CoV-2 testing for people returning from the northern province of Hai Duong - the country's largest COVID-19 hotspot.

Social distancing lifted in more areas of Hai Duong province: Chairman of the People’s Committee of Hai Duong province Nguyen Duong Thai, who is also head of the provincial Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, signed a decision on February 22 lifting social distancing measures for 185 people in Vinh Hoa commune, Ninh Giang district, where no F0 cases have been reported for the last 21 days. So far, 2,063 households with a total of 9,623 people in 14 communes and wards in Ninh Giang district and Kinh Mon township have seen social distancing measures lifted.

Authorities in Covid-19 hotspot Hai Duong Province on Sunday fined two Chinese VND7.5 million ($326) each for flouting the lockdown order. Huang Weiming, 51, and Huang Cheng Lan, 48, who works for Vietnam Baodi Technology Company in the Cao An Industrial Park in Cam Giang District, were found riding on a street last Saturday despite a lockdown since February 5 amid a surge in infections.

HCMC randomly takes testing samples at street pubs: According to the People's Committee of Binh Thanh District, crowded food service establishments in all 20 wards will be checked unexpectedly until March 31st. At the same time, the unit will strengthen penalties for pubs that violate epidemic prevention regulations.

Vietnam COVID-19 Updates (Feb 21): No new cases, thousands signed up for testing in hotspots Quang Ninh Province, currently Vietnam's second-biggest Covid-19 hotspot, collected almost 12,700 samples in just four days after it offered to test on-demand.

Vietnam COVID-19 Updates (Feb 20): No new cases, provinces urged in fight against COVID-19 Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long has called on localities to identify scenarios to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vietnam COVID-19 Updates (Feb 19): No new cases this morning, plans on resumption of in-person learning Vietnamese cities and provinces have announced plans on the resumption of in-person learning after the week-long Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, which ended on February ...