Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (Feb. 4): Omicron Cases Rise To 192

Photo: VOV

Vietnam records over 8,600 Covid-19 infections, more than 25,000 recoveries

The Ministry of Health confirmed a further 8,601 fresh Covid-19 cases nationwide on February 3 to bring the national tally since the start of the pandemic up to more than 2.3 million. In terms of the new cases, more than 5,000 were found within the local community and 26 were imported from abroad.

Three localities top the daily case list, including Hanoi with 2,738 new infections, Thanh Hoa with 463 infections, and Quang Nam with 356 cases. The average number of new infections nationwide over the past seven days now stands at over 12,000 a day, while the national death rate has been at a daily average of 110.

Furthermore, the Health Ministry also confirmed an additional 25,094 recoveries on the same day, thereby taking the total number of recovered cases up to nearly 2.1 million. The country’s death toll stands at 38,063, accounting for 1.7% of total infections.

The number of people infected with the Omicron variant in Vietnam had increased to 192 by February 3, an increase of six cases compared to the previous day, according to the Ministry of Health. The new variant had spread to 16 cities and provinces in all three regions of the country, with Ho Chi Minh City in the south topping localities in infection numbers, at 92.

Photo: Zing

PM urges preparation for full tourism reopening in March

Vietnam must be prepared to safely reopen tourism, ideally at the end of March and no later than the end of April, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said Thursday. The PM said the time for Vietnam to reopen its tourism would be when certain groups of the population have received their third Covid-19 vaccine shots and appropriate immigration control policies are in place.

Previously, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism proposed for Vietnam to completely reopen tourism starting March 31 to receive international tourists and let people travel abroad through all channels. People coming to Vietnam must be either fully vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19, have a negative PCR test within the last 72 hours, and have medical insurance that covers Covid-19 treatment with at least $50,000, the ministry said. Children and unvaccinated individuals would have their own policies, which would be announced later.

Eleven airlines and travel firms last week petitioned the government to announce by early February the timeline for fully reopening the country to foreign tourists. With borders closed, the number of foreign arrivals plunged by 96 percent last year, and the effects on the hospitality and tourism industries were predictable.

Photo: Zing

Students to return to school after Tet

Students across the country will return to school after Tet except for primary school and kindergarten children in Hanoi and two southern provinces, though there too they will do so this month. The Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son said authorities in the capital and Binh Duong and Dong Nai provinces would consult parents before setting a date for the reopening.

It has also instructed local authorities to ensure students catch up with their lessons, admitting this could take several years. Son said schools should identify students' mental issues to provide counseling and psychological support when they return to school. All middle and high schools across the country will open from Feb 7 or 14.

Before Tet only 14 localities had reopened schools, 19 had online and televised lessons, while the remaining 30 had a mix of both. Son said all universities and colleges too would have students returning to classes this month. The nine-day Tet holiday ends this Sunday (Feb 6).

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Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (Feb. 2): Daily Tally Drops By Over 1,600 According to the Minister of Health, the treatment of Covid-19 patients in the country is showing positive signs, with the mortality rate witnessing a decline.

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