Photo: VOV

Covid-19: Daily infections rise to more than 130,000 on Mar. 5

The Ministry of Health (MoH) announced 131,817 new coronavirus infections recorded in all 63 cities and provinces across Vietnam on March 5, up more than 6,200 cases compared to the previous day. As many as 88,572 cases, or two-thirds of the total, were diagnosed in the community, 37 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 as its daily count hit 25,013, the highest figure recorded in a single day. New infections also rose again in the south, as Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong, the two largest coronavirus hotspots last summer, registered 2,984 and 3,608 cases respectively.

Notably, the Omicron sublineage BA.2 which has now spread to more than 80 countries and territories, has been found in nearly 90% of all samples in Vietnam. In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, 87% and 76% of the patients respectively were infected with the sublineage BA.2.

Photo: SCMP

Singapore considers quarantine-free travel for Vietnamese tourists starting mid-March

Vaccinated air travelers will be able to enter Singapore from more cities in Malaysia, Indonesia, and India without having to serve quarantine. Announcing the expansion of the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) scheme on Friday (March 4), the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said it will also launch new VTLs for Greece and Vietnam, restoring two-way quarantine-free travel with these two countries, the Strait Times reported.

Short-term visitors and work permit holders eligible to travel on the new VTLs will be able to apply for a vaccinated travel pass starting 10 a.m. (Singapore time) on March 13.

According to VTL requirements, short-term visitors must be fully vaccinated against Covid with any vaccine in the World Health Organization (WHO) emergency use list, at least 14 days prior to arrival in Singapore. They must also provide a negative PCR test taken within two days prior to departure to Singapore and purchase Covid medical insurance with a minimum coverage of SGD30,000 (US$22,000).

Singaporean authorities said the launch of vaccinated travel lanes for visitors from Vietnam will see the restoration of two-way, quarantine-free travel. The Vietnamese government has announced that Vietnam will fully reopen inbound tourism from March 15, with foreign tourists allowed to visit the country without prior booking of tour packages.

Photo: Suc Khoe & Doi song

PM orders gradual normalization of Covid-19 pandemic

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on March 5 requested the gradual normalization of the pandemic at a teleconference between the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control with ministries, sectors, and 63 provinces and cities. PM Chinh ordered readiness without neglect and subjectivity as the pandemic may continue developing in a complicated and unpredictable manner with the Omicron variant.

He stressed the importance of continuing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, focusing on curbing the risks, limiting the number of severe cases and fatalities, promoting rapid recovery and sustainable development, ensuring social welfare, and maintaining national defense and security.

It is necessary to speed up the implementation of the vaccination drive, with the goals of completing the injection of the booster shot for people aged from 18 in the first quarter of 2022, completing the 2nd injection for those aged 12-17 in March, preparing a vaccination campaign for children from 5-11 years old, and studying the administration of the fourth shot for adults and injection for children under 5 years old.

The Ministry of Health was required to urgently license drugs for pandemic prevention and treatment, and intensify guidance on treatment measures at home, at medical facilities, while the Ministry of Information and Communications was asked to continue perfecting technologies serving pandemic prevention and control based on the population database.

The Government leader also ordered the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to coordinate with other agencies to prepare for the official reopening of tourism activities on March 15. As the spirit of pandemic prevention and control is without precedent, it does not need perfectionism, cannot be in a hurry, but need closely follow the situation to continue to learn from experience and make appropriate adjustments, he stressed.

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