Vietnam News Today (Feb. 28): Vietnam, Croatia Explore Economic, Tourism Cooperation Potential

Photo: VOV

Daily Covid-19 infections continue to spike with nearly 87,000 recorded

The Ministry of Health reported the detection of a further 86,990 new cases of Covid-19 on February 27, an increase of nearly 9,000 in comparison to a day earlier.

The three localities with the highest number of cases are Hanoi with 11,517 cases, Quang Ninh with 5,997 cases and Lang Son with 4,960 cases.

Another 94 casualties were also reported during the past 24 hours, raising the country’s death toll to cross 40,000 or around 1.2% of all infections.

35,866 Covid-19 patients were declared free from the SARS-CoV-2 virus on the same day, bringing the total number of recovered cases to 2,411,912.

More than 193 million people in Vietnam have now been inoculated, while around 70.8 million people have received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccines and over 13 million people have been boosted with a third dose.

Vietnam has so far recorded 205 infections with the Omicron variant, with Ho Chi Minh City taking the most with 97 cases, followed by Quang Nam with 27, and Hanoi with 18, cited VOV.

In recent times, Hanoi has witnessed the growing number of fresh Covid-19 infections, with more than 10,000 new cases reported on a daily basis.

Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Chu Ngoc Anh has warned the capital city will see the peak of the spike in mid March.

Experts have predicted that the number of new cases in the city will keep rising in the next two weeks and reach its peak afterwards, depending on the prevention and control work, the municipal leader said.

President, PM congratulate U23 football team for winning AFF championship

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent their congratulations to Vietnam’s U23 football team following their 1-0 win over Thailand to earn their AFF Youth Championship title on February 26.

Though many players ­contracted Covid-19 and most of them were new to the team, they all showed the Vietnamese courage and will and fought as brave warriors, President Phuc said in his message, adding they deserve the championship.

He asked the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) to continue developing the younger generations of players, helping Vietnam gain a higher position in the international stage.

Vietnamese players receive the championship trophy from AFF President Maj Gen Khiev Sameth. Photo: aseanfootball.org

In his message, PM Chinh called it a pride worthy victory. The players have confronted numerous challenges due to the pandemic during the tournament, the PM noted, stressing that with the courage and bravery of Vietnamese and spirit of “golden star warriors”, the players and the coaches have surmounted all these to bring joy and pride to their homeland.

The victory offers a new spark of hope for Vietnam’s football in the future, he continued and wished them greater victories in the coming time, according to VNA.

It was a remarkable journey for Vietnam’s U23 football team at the AFF Youth Championship 2022 in Cambodia as they have not lost any match in the tournament, scoring nine goals in total and managing to keep their net intact.

The team was in dire shortage of players after many players tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, and reinforcements had to be called in.

Vietnam, Croatia explore economic, tourism cooperation potential

Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Thi Bich Thao recently had working sessions with Croatian State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs Frano Matušić and State Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports Tonči Glavina.

Talking to State Secretary Frano Matušić, Thao thanked the Croatian Government and people for their Covid-19 vaccine donation to Vietnam.

The ambassador proposed the two countries resume all-level mutual visits and enhance cooperation at international forums and organizations so as to capitalize on the advantages created by the EU - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) to increase bilateral trade. She also called on Croatia to support and ratify the EU - Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) early while completing the legal framework for bilateral trade and investment, reported VOV.

Both sides shared the view that there remains much room for cooperation between Vietnam and Croatia.

The Southeast Asian nation boasts numerous advantages in terms of agricultural and fishery products, apparel, leather - footwear, electronic devices, tourism, and labour supply that can meet the European country’s demand. Meanwhile, the Croatian Government’s support for the EU’s recognition of Vietnam’s “Covid-19 vaccine passport” will facilitate exchange, mutual understanding, and cooperation between their businesses and peoples.

For his part, Matušić highly valued the potential for economic and trade partnerships, expressing his hope that his country’s seaports will be a gateway for Vietnamese goods to enter the Central European market.

The meeting between Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Thi Bich Thao and State Secretary of the Croatian Ministry of Tourism and Sports Tonči Glavina. Photo: VNA

He affirmed that Croatia attaches importance to promoting the traditional friendship with Vietnam, and asked the two foreign ministries to carry out a political consultation soon to discuss measures for increasing people-to-people exchange, especially between young people of the countries.

Croatia is set to become a member of the Schengen Area in late 2022 and the Eurozone in early 2023, which will create favorable conditions for the countries’ businesses and people to enhance collaboration, Matušić added.

At the meeting with State Secretary Tonči Glavina, Thao said she hopes the two sides will assist each other’s tourism promotion and facilitate exchange and cooperation between their businesses and people.

She also suggested stronger cooperation and sharing of experience in tourism, a strong sector of both countries.

Glavina voiced his hope that Vietnam will support and take part in activities organized by Croatia when this country serves as a member of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)’s Executive Council for 2021 - 2025 and the Chair of the UNWTO Committee on Tourism and Sustainability for 2021 - 2023.

He noted Croatia is ready to share its experience in safe and sustainable tourism reopening with Vietnam, adding that it served about 4,000 Vietnamese tourists in 2019 and wishes to welcome more in order to reinforce bilateral friendship and cooperation.

Hanoi to reach Covid-19 peak in two weeks' time: city chair

Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Chu Ngoc Anh has warned the capital city will see the peak of the current Covid-19 surge in the middle of March.

Experts have predicted that the number of new cases in the city will keep rising in the next two weeks and reach its peak afterwards, depending on the prevention and control work, Anh said.

He was speaking at a meeting with local authorities in Hanoi on Sunday on measures to reduce pressure for grassroots-level medical workers, those who work at the health clinics of wards and communes.

Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Chu Ngoc Anh (standing) speaks at a meeting with local authorities on Covid-19 prevention on Sunday. Photo: qdnd.vn

The situation is complicated in Hanoi as there are more than 10,000 new patients reported on a daily basis, and 76 communes and wards (12.8 per cent of the total) have had their risk levels raised to Level 3 (high risk), the city’s chair said.

However, 96 per cent of the patients are mild cases that express no symptoms, and 95 per cent are being treated at home.

“The pressure is immense for medical workers, especially those at the grassroots level,” Anh said. “They still have to monitor these patients, and at the same time, keep up other healthcare procedures such as confirming new patients, recoveries, and reviewing the elderly with underlying health issues and those who have not been vaccinated.”

The city considers this a huge challenge and calls for a more thorough use of digital systems in managing patients, as well as citizens’ collaboration, according to Anh. Everyone needs to be aware of the Covid-19 symptoms, care process, equipment and medicine needed to have at home.

They also need to know when to perform self-tests to prevent wasting test kits, and who to report to, through which channels, when having the symptoms, according to VNS.

Anh asked the director of the city’s Department of Health to form an inter-sectoral working group with clear points of contact to review and report on the urgent issues every day.

He also asked the health authorities to clarify how many patients a communal medical worker can take care of per day, and identify the number of workers needed for each day so other sectors can support and coordinate.

In terms of school reopening, director of the city’s Department of Education and Training Tran The Cuong said 15 districts had asked to let their students, who are in grade 1-6, to study online again to ensure their safety, as they had not been vaccinated.

“The city will have the final decision after reviewing reports by the education department,” Hanoi chair Chu Ngoc Anh said.

Students of 1st - 6th grades in Hanoi’s suburban areas return to online learning

Students from the first to sixth grades in the 18 suburban districts and town of Hanoi will return to online learning from February 28, part of local efforts to curb Covid-19 transmission.

The Hanoi People’s Committee made the decision on February 27 basing on the proposal submitted by the Department of Education and Training.

A class of the Trung Thanh Primary School in Hanoi's suburban district of Gia Lam. Photo: VNA

The move was prompted by a surge in the rising number of new infections in the community, including in educational establishments, the fact that students of these grades are yet to be vaccinated against Covid-19, as well as parents’ concern, cited VNA.

The municipal People’s Committee also assigned the district-level administrations to base on the Covid-19 situation in their localities, proposals by local educational establishments, and opinions from students’ parents to flexibly switch between in-person and online learning so as to ensure safety for both students and teachers.

Earlier, students from the first to sixth grades in the 18 suburban districts and town of Hanoi resumed in-person learning on February 10. Meanwhile, schools remain shut for those in urban districts.

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