Photo: Suc Khoe & Doi Song

Additional 131,713 Covid-19 cases were recorded in Vietnam on March 21

A total of 131,713 people across 63 localities nationwide were confirmed positive for the SARS-CoV-2-virus on March 21, a fall of 9,440 from the previous day, the Ministry of Health reported. The majority of new cases were detected in Hanoi, with the capital recording 17,916 new infections.

The three localities reporting the highest number of cases behind Hanoi include Nghe An with 5,403 cases, Phu Tho with 5,348 cases, and Bac Ninh with 4,295 cases.

The past 24 hours have seen a total of 69 Covid-19 patients pass away, thereby bringing the death toll caused by the virus to more than 41,949, or 0.5% of total infections. The same day also saw the Ministry of Health announce an additional 179,640 recoveries, thereby taking the total number of recovered cases up to 4,282,668 since the start of the pandemic.

Photo: Zing

Ho Chi Minh City ready to welcome foreign tourists back

Ho Chi Minh City has made thorough preparations to welcome international tourists back after a two-year closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic. At present, authorities, travel agents, and accommodation facilities are all ready to make the city a vibrant and safe destination.

Earlier this month, the municipal Tourism Department signed cooperation agreements with the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) and the Vietnam Airport Ground Services Company Limited (VIAGS) on boosting tourism in the city. The deals are part of the efforts to sustainably speed up tourism recovery and development in HCM City and the whole nation.

Accordingly, HCM City and EuroCham will work together in promoting MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and events) and cuisine tourism in the city in the 2022-2024 period. Under the agreement, the two sides will strengthen activities on market research, tourism statistics, and human resources training, while sharing experience in tourism management and operation. They will expand the direct channel of promotion to popularise the image of the city to more European firms and citizens in Vietnam as well as those in foreign countries.

EuroCham Chairman Alain Cany said that tourism is one of the dynamic sectors of Vietnam. Despite impacts of the Covid-19, the sector is recovering, he noted, adding that EuroCham hailed Vietnam’s door-opening policies, including visa exemption for European visitors, to promote this process. With its role of connecting European firms with their peers in Vietnam, EuroCham hopes to help the city to strengthen its capacity to research, develop its website, share database, and train human resources, he said.

Photo: Zing

17 countries recognize Vietnam's vaccine passport

In reply to reporters’ question about information regarding Vietnam’s mutual recognition of vaccine passports with other countries on March 21, the spokeswoman said under the Prime Minister’s direction, the MoFA and Vietnam’s overseas representative agencies have actively conducted negotiations and fast-tracked the mutual recognition of “vaccine passports” with other countries and territories.

Accordingly as of March 17, the nation had reached an agreement on the mutual recognition of “vaccine passports” with 17 countries, including the US, the UK, Japan, Australia, Belarus, India, Cambodia, the Philippines, the Maldives, Palestine, Turkey, Egypt, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Singapore, Saint Lucia, and the Republic of Korea.

The recognition includes the exemption of procedures for consular authentication/legalization when using these papers in the countries of destination. Additionally, the nation has so far temporarily recognized Covid-19 vaccination certificate forms of 79 countries and territories officially introduced to the MoFA, the official added.

Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (March 21): Cumulative Tally Hits Close to 8 Million As of 6 pm on March 20, Vietnam has detected 7,958,048 Covid-19 cases since the start of the outbreak, ranking 14th out of 225 countries ...

Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (March 20): Daily Infections Falls by 12,500 to 150,000 As of 6 pm on March 19, Vietnam has detected 7,791,841 Covid-19 cases since the start of the outbreak, ranking 14th out of 225 countries ...

Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (March 19): 163,174 New Covid-19 Infections As of 6 pm on March 18, Vietnam has detected 7,367,112 Covid-19 cases since the start of the outbreak, ranking 14th out of 225 countries ...