Vietnam ready for new developments of COVID-19: Deputy Prime Minister

	Japan-Vietnam Festival in HCMC to be postponed due to COVID-19
	Two new Thai COVID-19 cases confirmed
	Vinh Phuc: Last COVID-19 patient successfully cured

The statement was made by the concerned authorities and experts at a meeting of the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control on February 24.

Under the chair of Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, delegates discussed the disease response solutions, in which they agreed on continuing to update the epidemic situation to perfect scenarios and plans to be ready to cope with the virus complicated evolutions.

In the fear of the rapid transmission of the virus in the Republic of Korea (RoK), where many overseas Vietnamese people are living and working in, the committee suggested to maintain strict control at border gates, as well as enhancing screening suspected cases for timely medical isolation.

The zoning work should be reasonable in each period, depending on the epidemic situation to not to let the epidemic affect socio-economic activities. At the same time, the concerned authorities must carry out the monitoring and prevention of cross-contamination in health facilities, the committee suggested.

* The Ministry of Health (MoH) has sent a dispatch to the People's Committees of provinces and cities having medical quarantine activities to apply the compulsory medical declaration for visitors from or passing by the RoK when entering Vietnam. The activity has been applied at all border gates from 15:00 on February 23. The ministry also requested to send Korean interpreters to the border gates to support the medical declaration and screening.

The MoH also said that Vietnam currently has 30 laboratories capable of testing the new coronavirus. The ministry has timely directed the Institutes of Hygiene and Epidemiology/Pasteur Institutes, hospitals and Centres for Disease Control (CDC) of provinces and cities nationwide to review and prepare all the facilities and human resources needed for timely testing. In addition, the MoH has asked other related ministries, departments and agencies to be ready to provide assistance in case of need.

* On February 24, the Vinh Phuc Provincial Department of Health announced that the last case of Covid-19 infection in Vietnam receiving isolated treatment at Quang Ha General Clinic in Binh Xuyen District, Vinh Phuc has showed negative medical test results twice. According to the regulations of the MoH, Covid-19 cases having negative tests twice in a row and showing no symptoms of fever for two days can be discharged from the hospital. However, the patient continues to stay at Quang Ha General Clinic for follow-up and isolation as prescribed.

It is the last Covid-19 confirmed case in Vietnam (among 16 cases) that have recovered from the virus. Among the 16 infections, 11 patients from Vinh Phuc have showed positive treatment results.

* On the morning of February 24, the Hai Phong City People's Committee hosted a working session with the local functional agencies and localities to discuss the review, supervision, classification and isolation for all people coming and going through areas affected by Covid-19 to Hai Phong.

More citizens in Bac Kan Province released on February 24 after undergoing 14-day medical isolation to exclude the risk of Covid-19 infection. (Photo: NDO/Tuan Son)

* The same day, the Thua Thien - Hue Province authorities announced that a 18-year-old local school girl died on February 21 was negative for Covid-19, as both the Pasteur Institute of Nha Trang and Hue Central Hospital also confirmed that her test was negative for the virus. She showed no signs of Covid-19 symptoms but died of encephalitis.

* On the same day, Da Nang received and carried out isolation and tracking for 80 passengers, including 58 Vietnamese and 22 Koreans, on a flight originating from Daegu to Da Nang International Airport. The disinfection was carried out immediately on the aircraft and moving corridor.

* On February 24, the chairperson of Quang Ngai Provincial People's Committee signed a decision to establish four Covid-19 prevention and control sub-committees. Previously, Quang Ngai also established two rapid interdisciplinary teams, which are tasked to promptly solve urgent problems related to Covid-19.

A 78-year-old overseas Vietnamese from Thua Thien - Hue was also confirmed negative for Covid-19 the same day.

* On February 24, Bac Kan Province released 43 citizens in the quarantine area managed by the 750th Regiment in Bac Kan City after 14 days of isolation to eliminate the risk of Covid-19 infection. As of Monday (February 24), there are still 217 isolated people at the venue but no cases having illness or fever.

* According to the Ho Chi Minh City CDC, on the early Monday morning, 575 passengers on five flights from the RoK were monitored when they entered the city. Three of them are being in isolation at the local medical facilities.

* On February 24, Hoan Kiem District Police coordinated with the District Health Department to inspect the prevention and control of Covid-19 to international tourists staying at local hotels and motels. At the time of review, Hoan Kiem had 9,989 guests staying, of which 2,697 from nine countries affected by Covid-19. The competent authorities have not detected any cases of foreigners showing abnormalities in health.

* In Thai Binh Province, the local health sector is closely managing eight people who have returned from the RoK, of which one from the outbreak areas, along with 11 other having close contact with them.

* The domestic airlines said that they have reduced the frequency of operations, even cancelled some flights to the RoK and vice versa. In addition to cancelling routes between Vietnam and Daegu, airlines have cut down the frequency of operation and cancelled 50% of flights between Vietnam and the East Asian country from February 17 to March 28. Earlier, when the epidemic was not outbreak in the RoK, four domestic airlines have operated 14 routes from Vietnam to six cities in the country with a total frequency of 182 flights a week. In the opposite direction, eight Korean airlines are operating 10 routes from the country to Vietnam, with a total frequency of 381 flights per week.

* According to the MoH, up until 11 am on February 25, 80,149 people worldwide have infected with Covid-19 in 35 countries, territories and cruise ship Diamond Princess, with 2,701 people died. In mainland China alone, 77,658 people were infected and 2,663 people died.

In Vietnam, there have been 16 people infected with Covid-19, of which 15 have recovered. The number of negative samples tested was 1,247. The country hasn’t recorded any new cases since February 13.

* The Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) has issued a decision to amend the time for completing the second semester of the current academic year, which is set to wrap up prior to June 28, while the school year is set to end no later than June 30. The date for consideration and recognition of completing the primary school curriculum and the recognition of graduating from secondary school has been set at no later than July 15, while the finish of 10th grade enrolment is set at prior to August 15.

The ministry also noted localities based on the time-frame to proactively implement their educational plan for the 2019-2020 school year in accordance with the local situation of Covid-19 epidemic control. The provincial People's Committees direct the provincial Departments of Education and Training to guide schools in strictly implementing the process of disease prevention and control, ensuring the school safety under the guidance of the MoH and MoET./.