According to reports from the public security agencies of 39 provinces and cities, a total of 1,343 Chinese people have entered Vietnam illegally.

The border guards at Ha Tien international border gate in the southern province of Kien Giang are on duty day and night to patrol and control the southwestern border line to prevent another Covid-19 outbreak.

Vietnam is running a high risk of enduring a future COVID-19 outbreak in the community due to the continued global spread of the virus, especially in neighbouring countries, said Tran Dac Phu, senior advisor to the Ministry of Health.

Five Chinese nationals illegally entering Vietnam have been arrested, said Nguyen Van Giao, head of the Long Khot border post in the Mekong Delta province of Long An said on March 3.

Police in the central province of Nghe An are hunting four Chinese people who illegally entered Vietnam.

Over the last two days, the local border guard forces discovered that 438 Vietnamese citizens entered Vietnam illegally through small pathways.

Hundreds of people are entering Vietnam illegally as more people want to return home for the Lunar Tet Holiday.

A Chinese man and two Vietnamese women were sentenced to 5-8 years in prison on August 29 for organising illegal entry into Vietnam.

HCM City will expel all foreigners who have been found to have illegally entered the country.

To prevent the spread of the coronavirus, HCM City Police should work with the People's Court to sue individuals who illegally enter the city, Chairm Nguyen Thanh Phong, said at a meeting with district authorities yesterday.

“The death penalty could be considered for such act in accordance with the Penal Code. In this very urgent situation, when the whole country is trying hard to fight Covid-19, it is necessary to strictly punish such acts for deterrence."