Photo: VNE

Covid-19: Daily count skyrockets to nearly 22,000 in Vietnam

Vietnam has confirmed 21,909 new coronavirus infections in all 63 cities and provinces across the country over the past 24 hours, a rise of more than 5,000 cases compared to the previous day, the Ministry of Health (MoH) said in its coronavirus update on February 8.

Official data from the MoH also show that an additional nearly 4,400 patients recovered from the disease, and 97 patients died of the virus. Of the newly detected number, as many as 14,982 cases were diagnosed in the community, eight tested positive upon returning from overseas, and the remainder were documented in the lockdown or quarantine areas.

Northern localities led the country in infection numbers, with Hanoi capital registering the most at 2,903, followed by Nghe An (1,717), Hai Duong (1,245), Hoa Binh (944), Bac Ninh (897), Vinh Phuc (891), Nam Dinh (886), Hai Phong (830), Phu Tho (769) and Thai Nguyen (649).

Photo: VNE

Philippines to exempt Vietnamese tourists from quarantine

The Philippines would reopen its doors to vaccinated foreign tourists from 157 countries and territories, including Vietnam, from Thursday with mandatory quarantine exemption. All tourists are required to furnish a certificate proving they have been fully vaccinated against Covid and have negative Covid test results, Philippines' Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat said.

From Feb. 1, the Thai government restarted its quarantine-free travel scheme, allowing fully vaccinated visitors from Vietnam to enter without undergoing hotel quarantine for 10 days. The government expects between 200,000 and 300,000 travelers to take advantage of the so-called Test & Go program in February alone, with the numbers expected to swell in the following months, Bloomberg reported.

In early November, Thailand reopened to fully vaccinated travelers - who had to isolate for a night until they received a negative PCR test - from more than 60 countries but the policy was suspended in late December following the outbreak of Omicron-related infections.

Indonesia's famous Bali Island also reopened to vaccinated tourists from Vietnam starting Feb. 4, with arrivals having to undergo five-day hotel quarantine. Vietnam plans to fully reopen its borders to foreign tourists by the end of March.

Photo: VNE

Taiwan to lift entry ban on Vietnamese workers

Taiwan will reopen its borders to foreign workers from four Southeast Asian nations, including Vietnam, from this month. The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) of Taiwan's National Health Command Center announced Monday that employers may bring in foreign workers from Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam starting Feb. 15, as the second phase of a special program that allows foreign workers to enter Taiwan after a period of Covid border closures.

As regulated, migrant workers must be fully vaccinated with two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine in the country of origin before entry into Taiwan. After arriving in Taiwan, their employers can arrange for them to stay at a hotel to complete quarantine and self-health management; both foreign workers and employers must abide by related epidemic prevention rules and guidelines, according to the CECC.

Taiwan banned the entry of all foreign nationals without residency, including migrant workers, last May following a spike in Covid-19 cases. As many as 134,482 of the 147,387 Vietnamese workers who went abroad in 2019 were hired in Japan and Taiwan, according to the Overseas Labor Department. It revealed Japan remained the largest market for Vietnamese labor with more than 80,000 going in 2019, followed by Taiwan with 54,480 workers.

Photo: VNE

Hanoi cinemas to reopen Thursday after nine months

Cinemas and art performing venues in Hanoi will reopen Thursday after remaining closed for nine months, the city’s Party Committee said Tuesday. Most businesses and services have resumed in the capital city, except for bars, karaoke and massage parlors, and dance clubs.

The city also allowed the Huong Pagoda, a collection of temples and pagodas built amidst mountains and forests and a major spring destination in northern Vietnam, to receive visitors from Feb. 16 without organizing any ceremonies to prevent large gatherings.

The Huong Pagoda festival usually lasts for two and a half months with a series of activities like dragon dancing, boat racing, and folk singing. Around 80,000 pilgrims had flocked to the pagoda on the festival's opening day in previous years. Hanoi has been topping the national Covid-19 case count for around a month, recording around 3,000 cases every day. But given its high vaccination rate and the capacity of the healthcare system, it has been given a low Covid risk rating.

Photo: VNA

Vietnam receives Vero-Cell Covid-19 vaccine donated by China

The Ministry of National Defence received 300,000 doses of the Vero-Cell Covid-19 vaccine presented to the Ministry of National Defence of China at a ceremony held at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on February 8. Addressing the event, the Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo said that the vaccine donation aims to help the army and people of Vietnam overcome Covid-19, which demonstrates the sentiments of the Chinese military in particular and the Chinese Government in general toward the military and people of Vietnam.

On behalf of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence, Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien thanked the Chinese side for the gift which he said is evidence of the friendly neighborliness and solidarity between the two countries and two militaries in particular.

Vero-Cell Covid-19 vaccine produced by Sinopharm has been used in over 70 countries, including many Southeast Asian countries such as Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Last year on August 23, the Chinese Ministry of National Defence also presented 200,000 doses of the Vero-Cell Covid-19 vaccine to the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence.

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