A medical worker takes samples for testing.

Two more COVID-19 patients in Việt Nam who previously were given the all-clear have tested positive again, the Treatment Subcommittee of the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control reported on Wednesday evening.

The newest relapse cases bring the total number of people testing positive after previously given the all-clear stands at 11.

Meanwhile no new cases were reported on Wednesday evening, keeping the nation’s COVID-19 tally at 270 since Friday evening.

The country has gone 13 days straight with no community transmissions as of 6pm on April 29, the committee said.

Patient No 130 was declared recovered on March 30 but still monitored at the National Hospital of Tropic Diseases. His tests were positive again on April 4, April 19 and from 25-26.

After being declared to have recovered on April 11, Patient No 50 had two tests come back positive on April 24 on 27.

The two patients are receiving treatment at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hà Nội.

A total of 219 patients have recovered while 51 are being treated at nine medical facilities, of whom 10 have tested negative once and four negative twice.

As many as 42,057 are under quarantine with 323 in hospitals, 6,643 at other facilities and 35,091 at home and accommodations.

Prevention measures

Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam urged agencies to strengthen measures against the COVID-19 pandemic during the Reunification Day and May Day holidays.

“It’s time for public security, defence and healthcare sectors to review their ongoing tasks and prepare for pandemic prevention and control after society returns to normal life,” he said at a meeting of the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control held on Wednesday afternoon.

In addition to strictly controlling people who enter Việt Nam, it was necessary to review the regulations on education and tourism to stop the spread of the disease.

The steering committee asked the Ministry of Education and Training to direct provinces and cities to solve problems relating to the reopening of schools so that students can return after the holidays.

Domestic tourism is being resumed, however, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Transport must monitor and supervise the implementation of disease prevention regulations.

Ministries and agencies are urged to complete documents to ensure production and business in the new period.

In related news, Deputy PM Đam has assigned the Ministry of Science and Technology to coordinate with the Ministry of Health, Academy of Social Sciences and relevant agencies to research and produce a vaccine for COVID-19.

At the meeting held on Wednesday, representatives of the above-mentioned units said they have started studying, isolating and cultivating the virus and have been producing bio-test products since the beginning of the outbreak of COVID-19. This has effectively served the pandemic prevention and control efforts in the country. 

Innovation contest seeking measures to ease impact of COVID-19

The Global Association of Vietnamese Scientists and Experts (AVSE Global) on April 29 launched an innovation contest called “#Hack4growth - Covid Endgame”, sponsored by the State Committee on Overseas Vietnamese Affairs.

The contest aims to connect innovators with investors and enterprises to identify solutions to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Solutions must help mitigate the pandemic’s impact on socioeconomic, environmental, tourism, health, and educational matters.

Businesses or groups that have operated for less than five years as well as individuals aged over 18 are eligible to join the contest, which has a first prize of 10,000 USD.

Entries should be sent to the organising board before June 15./.

Australian newspaper spotlights Vietnam’s incredible achievements in COVID-19 fight

An article run by the Australian newspaper "The Sydney Morning Herald" has highly evaluated Vietnam's extraordinary results in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic as the nation recorded only 270 cases of infection and no fatalities since the outbreak began in January.

As an increasingly important strategic partner of Australia, Vietnam implemented a sweeping set of measures that significantly slowed down the spread of COVID-19.

“The country has just gone 12 days in a row without reporting any new community-transmitted infections,” it noted.

While other Southeast Asian countries like Singapore and Malaysia enjoyed similar successes initially before being hit by a second wave of cases, Vietnam has managed to keep its infection rate remarkably low.

The Herald highlighted measures Vietnam has applied to contain the spread of the virus, including regulations on temperature screenings and health declarations at airports as well as banning entry to foreigners from March 22 and public gatherings of 20 or more people.

The country has put in place strict rules that have seen festivals, religious ceremonies, and sporting events suspended, it added.

Vietnam, it wrote, has so far conducted 133,000 tests, one of the highest figures in the region, citing the US-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)'s COVID-19 tracking website./.

Việt Nam donates 420,000 medical masks to American Red Cross

US Ambassador to Việt Nam Daniel Kritenbrink receives medical supplies from Associate Professor Nguyễn Thị Xuân Thu, Chairwoman of the Việt Nam Red Cross Society, at a ceremony held in Hà Nội on Wednesday.

US Ambassador to Việt Nam Daniel Kritenbrink expressed his gratitude for a donation of 420,000 medical masks on behalf of the American Red Cross in a handover ceremony on Wednesday.

The donation includes 120,000 masks donated by the Việt Nam Red Cross, and 300,000 masks donated by the Việt Nam-US Alumni Club (VUSAC)-Hà Nội. 

VUSAC Hà Nội sent out a call to its members for donations to buy face masks as gifts for the American people, who are reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a matter of weeks, VUSAC members and contributors have managed to raise VNĐ1.26 billion from more than 900 individuals and organisations throughout Việt Nam and overseas. 

Accepting the donations from Associate Professor Nguyễn Thị Xuân Thu, Chairwoman of the Việt Nam Red Cross Society, the US diplomat said: “I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Việt Nam Red Cross Society and the hundreds of individuals and organisations who contributed to this donation through VUSAC Hà Nội.”

“I have always believed that people-to-people relations are the most solid foundation for close and lasting ties between nations. I am so honoured to be witnessing this outpouring of love and support,” he continued.

US Ambassador to Việt Nam Daniel J. Kritenbrink praised the Government of Việt Nam for its outstanding work and results in response to COVID-19 pandemic in Việt Nam.

“Throughout Vietnamese history, whenever Việt Nam was in danger, Vietnamese people would exercise the greatest unity in their fight against the common threat. That spirit is still alive and well in Việt Nam, as you were showing in this fight against COVID-19,” said Kritenbrink.

“So, again, I'm happy to see the spirit of unity that this crisis has brought out, not just in Việt Nam, but all over the world, and especially between the people of Vietnam and the people of the United States,” added Kritenbrink.

 “300,000 masks is a very small number compared to what is needed in the US, but we are proud to say that there is so much love behind every one of those masks,” said President of VUSAC-Hà Nội Nguyễn Thu Hà.

It’s also a small token to contribute to the 25th anniversary of the normalisation of US-Việt Nam relations this year, she said.

The President of Red Cross Việt Nam Xuân Thu said that Việt Nam and the United States can share a lot of practical experience and lessons learnt in the prevention of Covid-19 pandemic. At present, Việt Nam has well-controlled the spread of the pandemic as the current number of COVID-19 cases still stood at 270 cases and no deaths were reported in the country.

Vietnam records no new COVID-19 cases in community for 14 days

Vietnam reported no new COVID-19 cases on April 30 morning, marking 14 days in a row the country has recorded no infections in the community.

Of the 270 confirmed patients, 130 are imported cases who were quarantined upon their arrival, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

Up to 219 patients, or 81 percent, have made full recovery, while 51 others are being treated at medical establishments nationwide.

Ten patients were tested negative for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 once and four others tested negative twice or more.

A total of 34,836 people who had close contact with confirmed patients or coming from pandemic-hit regions have been quarantined across the country, including 316 at hospitals, 6,700 at concentrated quarantine areas and 27,820 at home.

COVID-19 still spreads in Southeast Asia

The Philippine Health Ministry on April 29 announced that the total number of COVID-19 infections in the country has surpassed 8,200, including 558 deaths.

In the past 24 hours, the country recorded 254 more cases and 28 fatalities.

Singapore still posted the highest number of infections in Southeast Asia with 15,641 cases. In the past 24 hours, the country recorded 690 new cases, most of them are immigrant workers living in dormitories.

Also on April 29, Indonesia announced additional 260 cases, bringing the total to 9,771 with 784 deaths.

Malaysia has so far confirmed 5,945 cases and 100 deaths.

Meanwhile, Thailand reported single-digit COVID-19 cases for the third successive day with nine new cases confirmed over a 24-hour period. The country has to date recorded 2,947 cases, including 54 deaths. Up to 2,665 of them fully recovered and 228 others under treatment.

COVID-19: Process established to ensure air passenger safety

At the Noi Bai international airport

The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) announced on April 29 that it has introduced a process to ensure safety among passengers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Airport security staff in collaboration with local Centres for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) will check the body temperature of all passengers and ask them to wear face masks and wash their hands at entry gates. Those showing symptoms such as fever and coughing will be subject to health regulations.

Passengers must also fill in electronic health declarations or submit medical certificates at check-in counters.

Airports and the CDCs of cities must conduct frequent or impromptu spraying of aircraft, terminals, check-in counters, toilets, and elevators.

Passengers must stay two metres away from each other in crowded areas.

Vietnamese scientists map genome of COVID-19 virus

Vietnam’s readiness to join the fight against the coronavirus in the globe is reflected in its scientific activities.