The Health Ministry confirmed no new Covid-19 infections Friday evening, keeping the infection tally of the country at 288. This marks day 22 that Vietnam has gone without community transmission of the disease.
Yesterday, the country reported 17 new imported coronavirus cases in biggest single-day rise. All 17 new patients are Vietnamese returnees and being quarantined on arrival. Of the new cases, six are male and 11 female. One of the patients is a newborn boy and the rest are between 20 and 58 years of age.
Related: Vietnam reports 17 new coronavirus cases in biggest single-day rise
The new patients are among 297 Vietnamese repatriated from the UAE on Vietnam Airlines flight VN0088 on Sunday. The flight landed at Can Tho Airport in the Mekong Delta and all passengers were quarantined at a university dorm in the nearby Bac Lieu Province. The 17 infected are now treated at the Bac Lieu General Hospital. Crew members on the flight have also been quarantined.
The largest city of Vietnam to allow the resumption most of non-essential services according to the latest decision by the HCM City People’s Committee today, according to a report by VNExpress.
Tourists crowd the Bui Vien Walking Street, located within the so-called ‘backpacker area’ in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Huu Thuan
On Thursday, Vietnam’s Prime Minister has decided to allow non-essential service establishments, except for clubs and karaoke bars, to resume operations but they have to maintain preventive measures against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The decision was made at a meeting on COVID-19 prevention and control in Hanoi on Thursday after three weeks without new community transmission cases of COVID-19 in Vietnam.
Sports activities, football matches and crowded events are also allowed to reopen but participants are suggested to wear face masks and wash hands with sanitizer.
The Government chief also decided mask wearing and social distancing are not mandatory for students in classrooms but students are advised to maintain personal hygiene and regularly wash hands with antibacterial soap or sanitizer.
Doors and windows should be opened regularly to facilitate air circulation while classrooms must be clean, PM added.
He asked each citizen and business to get used to a ‘new normal’, which means gradually restarting socio-economic activities as usual while maintaining COVID-19 prevention measures.
Discover more from Vietnam Insider
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.