Illustrative image. Photo: VNA

Vietnam logs 393 new Covid-19 cases on December 3

Vietnam's Covid-19 caseload rose to 11,517,517 after 393 new cases recorded on December 3, according to the Ministry of Health.

With 107 patients given the all-clear on the day, the number of recoveries climbed to 10,608,829.

Meanwhile, there are still 54 patients needing breathing support, cited VNA.

One death from Covid-19 was recorded in the past 24 hours, lifting the total number of fatalities to 43,177.

With 47,202 doses administered on December 2, the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses injected so far rose to 264.7 million.

Vietnam National Assembly leader begins New Zealand visit

Chairman of the Vietnam National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue and his entourage arrived in Auckland on December 3, beginning an official visit to New Zealand at the invitation of Adrian Rurawhe, speaker of the House of Representatives.

The visit is expected to bolster the strategic partnership between Vietnam and New Zealand, and open up new prospects for stronger cooperation between the two legislative bodies bilaterally and internationally.

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue is welcomed at the airport. Photo: VNA

The Vietnam – New Zealand relations have developed substantively and effectively over the years, especially since the two countries established the Comprehensive Partnership in 2009 and upgraded it to the level of Strategic Partnership in in 2020. It’s noteworthy that Vietnam is New Zealand’s first strategic partner in the Asia-Pacific region.

Despite the negative impact caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, two-way trade turnover has grown well over the years, reaching US$1.3 billion in 2021, up 26.7%. The first nine months of 2022 saw bilateral trade rise 23.4% year on year to hit US$1.1 billion, according to VOV.

As of August 2022, New Zealand had 49 FDI projects with a total capital of US$210 million, ranking 39 out of 139 foreign investors in Vietnam. At the same time, Vietnam had 11 projects in New Zealand worth US$38.4 million.

Vietnamese university, Australian company sign MoU on training, startup

The Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA) and Australian company 4Ways Fresh on December 3 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in training and supporting innovative and entrepreneurship activities.

The deal was inked by VNUA Director Nguyen Thi Lan and 4Ways Fresh Director Ly Hoang Duy, within the framework of National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue's official visit to Australia, VNA reported.

At the signing ceremony. Photo: VNA

Under the MoU, the Vietnamese side is responsible for exchanging and providing information in the field, coordinating in the organisation of entrepreneurship and innovation programmes for students and technical support to improve the quality of products of agricultural organisations in the Southeast Asian country.

Meanwhile, 4Ways Fresh will be in charge of all activities in this regard and will offer consultancy services and preparation of procedures and visas for students to study in Australia.

It will also coordinate with schools and organisations in Australia to carry out internship courses so that Vietnamese students can apply the knowledge learned in the programmes and learn more experience on entrepreneurship and innovation activities, among others.

The two sides will cooperate to share information and create the best conditions for students of VNUA to learn in Australian establishments within the framework of collaboration between the governments and localities of both countries.

Number of international visitors to Vietnam sets 'record' after pandemic

Vietnam welcomed 2.95 million foreign visitors in January-November 2022, 21.1 times up year on year, but still down 81.9% compared with pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

According to data from the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, the number of international tourists to Vietnam in November 2022 was the highest since the country reopened its border for foreigners after the Covid-19 pandemic, with over 596,900 arrivals, 23% up from October.

Vietnam welcomed 2.95 million foreign visitors in January-November 2022, 21.1 times up year on year, but still down 81.9% compared with pre-pandemic levels in 2019, cited VNN.

Over 70% of international visitors to Vietnam were Asian tourists, with the largest number of tourists coming from Korea (763,900, equivalent to 26%), followed by the US (over 266,000, 9%).

The Indian market keeps growing. According to the General Statistics Office, in November 2022, Vietnam welcomed 27,000 visitors from India, an increase of 31% compared to the previous month and 50% higher than the same period in 2019. The total number of Indian visitors to Vietnam in the past 11 months reached 109,000, with a monthly growth rate of 49%.

Total tourism revenue in this period is estimated at 456.7 trillion VND, equivalent to 70% of the same period in 2019, before the Covid-19 outbreak.

Photo: VNN

Meanwhile, earnings from travelling services reached roughly VND22.9 trillion, 4.1 times higher than the figure recorded in the same period last year.

Particularly, visitors arriving by air accounted for 88.9% during the reviewed period, while those entering the country by road and sea made up 11.1% and 0.03% of arrivals, respectively.

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) developed a special email system as part of efforts aimed at promoting Vietnamese tourism at https://mail.vietnam.travel.

This marks the first time that the local tourism industry has set up an email system in order to serve tourism promotion activities. The purpose of the move is to enhance digital transformation in the tourism sector, with a greater focus placed on building tools and applications in a bid to increase travel experience.

Dengue outbreak in HCM City on downward trend

The Dengue outbreak is showing signs of waning in Ho Chi Minh City, with only 1,169 infections recorded in the past week, down 24% compared to the weekly figure in the previous four weeks.

The city did not record a single death caused by the virus in the past week, said the Ho Chi Minh City Centre for Diseases Control (HCDC).

A severe case of dengue given treatment at a hospital in HCM City.

According to the HCDC, the city has so far this year recorded as many as 76,239 infections, an increase of nearly 7 times over the same period last year. Of the total, 1,838 cases are severe infections. The ratio of severe cases to the total number of cases in the past week was 2.41%, an increase of 3.2% year on year.

Meanwhile, the past seven days saw an additional 265 people infected with hand, foot and mouth disease, a decrease of 279% compared to the average of the previous four week, cited VOV.

Since the beginning of the year, the city has diagnosed 18,353 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease.

The HCDC reported although the dengue outbreak is on the downward trend, people remain highly vigilant given the erratic rainy weather. It encouraged people to eliminate mosquito breeding sites weekly at workplace and at home.

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