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Passengers boarding a repatriation flight from the U.K. to Ho Chi Minh City on June 3, 2020. Photo: People's Army newspaper.

In its report, the MoH noted that the novel coronavirus pandemic has recently evolved in a complex manner globally following the emergence of the new SARS-CoV-2 virus variant, according to VOV.

The new strain variant VOC202012/01 was said to originate from the United Kingdom and it has so far spread to 34 countries and territories worldwide, including Vietnam.

Over 40 countries and territories in Europe, Asia, South America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East have restricted travel from the U.K. and, in some cases, travel from other countries that have documented cases with the virus variant.

In Vietnam, a female resident of Tra Vinh province was confirmed on January 2 as the country’s first case of the coronavirus variant. She is being quarantined at a hospital in Tra Vinh for medical observation and treatment. She was among a group of 305 passengers returning to Vietnam by Vietnam Airlines flight VN50 that landed in Can Tho on December 22.

The patient is in stable health condition, according to doctors who are taking care of her.

Citizens repatriated from abroad arrive at a quarantine site Photo: VNA

In an attempt to prevent the new variant from further entering Vietnam, the MoH proposed that the Prime Minister direct a number of relevant ministries and agencies to stop operating and restrict the licensing of flights to Vietnam from countries and territories that have recorded the new variant of the virus.

Since Vietnam suspended inbound international flights in late March, the government has organized around 260 repatriation flights to bring Vietnamese citizens back from 59 countries and territories, including the U.K., according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In addition to repatriation flights, some special flights carrying foreign experts and investors have also been allowed to fly into Vietnam.

International commercial flights asked to be suspended by PM To avoid another possible outbreak of COVID-19, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has required to suspend international commercial flights.

More commercial flights bring Vietnamese citizens home starting Dec 1 Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) is set to conduct 33 flights per week to bring home Vietnamese citizens stranded in Japan, South Korea, and ...

Hanoi-HCMC ranks second in world's busiest domestic flight route Asia is home to the top 10 busiest domestic air routes in November 2020, including Vietnam's route of Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City.