Photo: Suc khoe & Doi song

Covid-19: Daily count rises to 125,000, tally surpasses 4 mln mark

As many as 125,587 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in all 63 cities and provinces across Vietnam during the past 24 hours, up nearly 7,000 cases compared to the previous day, the Ministry of Health said in its coronavirus update on March 4.

About 79,992 cases, or two-thirds of the total, were diagnosed in the community, 19 tested positive upon returning from overseas, and the remainder were detected in the lockdown or quarantine areas. Most of the new cases were documented in the north, with Hanoi capital topping localities in daily infection number at 21,395.

New infections also rose again in the south, as Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong, the two largest coronavirus hotspots last summer, registered 3,070 and 3,201 cases respectively. Elsewhere, 6,657 more cases were announced in Nghe An alone, the highest figure in the central locality.

The same day, the Ministry of Health also announced an additional 38,911 recoveries and 97 more coronavirus-related deaths in localities across the country.

Photo: VOV

Singapore opens vaccinated travel lane for Vietnam

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) announced on March 4 it will launch a vaccinated travel lane (VTL) – the quarantine-free travel scheme – for tourists from Vietnam and Greece, starting on March 16. The decision comes after Vietnam announced it will reopen all borders to international tourism on March 15.

“With the launch of the VTL from Vietnam, we will restore two-way quarantine-free travel with Vietnam, which was a popular destination for many Singaporeans pre-COVID,” the CAAS said in its statement.

It said those coming from Vietnam can apply for a vaccinated travel pass (VTP) online starting at 10.00 am on March 13, and this is only required for eligible short-term visitors and work permit holders.

According to VTL regulations, short-term visitors from Vietnam will have to receive full vaccine doses (at least 2 doses), have a vaccine passport, have negative PCR or ART test results 48 hours before entry, and purchase travel insurance with a minimum coverage of SGD30,000 (US$22,000) for COVID-19 treatment in case they get infected.

The VTL scheme has enabled Singapore to safely reopen its borders and at the same time manage public health risks. Since September 8, 2021, Singapore has established VTLs with 30 countries and territories. The CAAS said it will take further steps to expand VTLs to rebuild Singapore as a leading aviation hub.

Photo: VOV

Vietnam receives additional 34 ultra-low freezers from US to store Covid-19 vaccines

The US has delivered an additional 34 ultra-low temperature freezers to Vietnam to help the Southeast Asian country expand life-saving Covid-19 vaccine storage capacity. The freezers were handed over to the Vietnamese Ministry of Health by US Ambassador Marc Knapper in Ho Chi Minh City on March 4.

They are among 111 ultra-low temperature freezers the US Department of Defence is providing to Vietnam with a total value of approximately 1 million USD. They will be sent to HCM City and several southern provinces.

In his remarks at the handover ceremony, Knapper said together with the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the US Department of Defence has stood alongside Vietnamese partners in the battle against Covid-19.

The US donation of the ultra-low temperature freezers today and the previous deliveries of more than 26 million doses of vaccine, 100 ventilators, and other medical supplies to Vietnam mark an important step forward in the bilateral partnership in healthcare, he said. With these ultra-low temperature freezers, Vietnam can safely store and distribute mRNA vaccines.

Photo: Suc khoe & Doi song

Ministries basically agree on tourism resumption plan in new normal

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism have said that it has finalized a plan to reopen tourism activities in the new normal. According to a document issued by the ministry to report the plan to the Prime Minister, the ministry said that relevant ministries basically agreed on the time, requirements, and the organization of works mentioned in the draft plan.

On medical regulations for visitors aged 12 and above, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism proposed that tourists have a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result (using RT-PCR/RT-LAMP method) within 72 hours before departure.

Specifically, the ministry suggested that within the first 24 hours after their arrival by air, visitors stay at their accommodations and take a test for the virus. They will be allowed to join tourism activities if they test negative for SARS-CoV-2. In case, their results show positive, they will comply with the quarantine and medical treatment measures in accordance with current regulations. Meanwhile, those arriving by land, sea, or railway are not required to quarantine if they have a negative rapid test result at the border gates.

This measure aims to ensure equality for both domestic and international tourists, and create favorable conditions to attract foreign arrivals to Vietnam while ensuring conditions on the prevention and control of the pandemic. Before entering Vietnam, travelers must meet requirements such as having certificates of full vaccination with the last dose injected at least 14 days and not more than six months from the time of entry, and having negative test results using RT-PCR/RT-LAMP method within 72 hours before their departure.

Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (March 4): Nearly 119,000 New Cases Detected Since the Covid-19 pandemic began last year, the death toll in Vietnam has climbed to 40,547, or 1.1% of all infections, according to VOV.

Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (March 3): First Time Records More Than 110,000 Cases a Day As of 06 pm on March 2, Vietnam has detected 3,709,481 Covid-19 cases since the start of the outbreak, ranking 30th out of 225 countries ...

Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (March 2): Hanoi Passes 13,000 Infections By February 28, the country had injected over 194.97 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, with more than 178 million people over getting vaccinated.