>>> More than VND400 billion raised for COVID-19 prevention work
>>> Ensuring social security aligned with fighting COVID-19 epidemic
>>> PM praises youth union in fight against coronavirus outbreak
>>> COVID-19 response: Hanoi’s Me Linh field hospital ready for operation
The senior government official, who is also Head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, chaired a teleconference to discuss responsive measures with relevant ministries and agencies on March 26.
Amidst the complex development of the coronavirus epidemic around the globe, Deputy PM Dam emphasised that high concentration at this time is an important factor for Vietnam to win the fight against the disease.
As regulations on disease prevention and control have been issued, it is necessary to promote the discipline and sense of responsibility in strictly implementing such regulations and directives from the Politburo, the Secretariat, the Government and the Prime Minister in the fight against COVID-19, Dam said, urging all organisations and individuals to strictly abide by and warn that they would be strictly condemned for committing violations.
He suggested the public to minimise the amount of getting out of their houses, while maintaining a minimum distance of 2 m when in contact with other people, as well as always wearing a face mask, washing hands with soap or hand sanitiser often, regularly cleaning houses, making medical reports and keeping in touch with health workers and health facilities.
 |
A COVID-19 patient under isolated treatment at the Hanoi-based National Hospital of Tropical Diseases Base 2. (Photo: NDO/Minh Hoang)
* The number of COVID-19 cases in Vietnam has reached 148 after the Ministry of Health confirmed seven more cases, including five Vietnamese, one South African and one French, on the morning of March 26. Vietnam has recorded 14 new COVID-19 cases over the last 24 hours. Among them, 10 were quarantined upon their arrival, one is a doctor getting the virus from patients, and three spent some time living in the community before receiving test results.
* The People’s Committee of Hanoi has ordered the municipal Department of Health to closely work with relevant agencies to push up the purchase of medical equipment to support the fight against the COVID-19. Chairman of the committee Nguyen Duc Chung requested temporary closure of non-essential services in the city, including karaoke parlours, bars, clubs, gaming venues, cinemas and stadiums. Businesses providing necessary services like food and petrol can operate as usual. People are asked to avoid gathering in large crowds, and to work and study from home. Religious and worship places have been ordered not to hold events with large crowds of participants.
 |
The chairman of Hanoi People's Committee requests the temporarily closure of unnecessary local business establishments, except those offering food, foodstuff, daily necessities and petrol, in order to prevent cross-infection amidst COVID-19. (Photo: NDO)
Regarding the 133rd patient at Bach Mai Hospital, the chairman suggested for citizens that visited the hospital from March 10 onwards to have a medical report and carry out self-isolation at home for 14 days. The city will deploy mobile testing booths for rapid, large-scale testing to localise infected and suspected objects, he added.
* The Ministry of Transport sent an urgent dispatch to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam on the suspension of international flights carrying Vietnamese citizens to the Hanoi-based Noi Bai Airport starting from 0:00am on March 26.
* Flight VN36 by Vietnam Airlines (VNA), landed at Van Don international airport in Quang Ninh province from Frankfurt (Germany) on Wednesday morning, has temporarily closed operation of VNA's international flight network. International flights will stop from now until the end of April 2020.
Meanwhile, the first direct flight between Vietnam and the Czech Republic, operated by Bamboo Airways on March 25, carried 204 Czech and 82 other European passengers home along with tens of tonnes of medical equipment and materials to support COVID-19 prevention and control in the European country.
The flight departed from Hanoi at 8:20am and arrived in Prague at 2:30pm (local time). The cargo included 64,200 face masks, among other items, as gifts to the Czech government and people from the Vietnam - Czech Republic Friendship Association and companies.
On the same day, the Czech News Agency CTK quoted the country’s Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek as saying that it is the first repatriation flight coordinated at the European level amid the pandemic.
Also, on March 25, the CTK quoted Honorary Chairman of the Czech Republic - Vietnam Friendship Association Marcel Winter as saying that the Vietnamese community is the only community in the Czech Republic supporting hospitals, rescue teams and people financially in the fight against the epidemic. He said their actions show they truly consider the European nation as their second home.
