Health workers tend to a COVID-19 patient at the Hue Central Hospital in Thua Thien-Hue province (Photo: VNA)

The Ministry of Health and the AIA (Vietnam) Life Insurance Co. Ltd on August 13 signed an agreement on financial support worth 23 billion VND (992,000 USD) for frontline medical workers in the COVID-19 combat.

The assistance, for the period of between April and December 31, is part of AIA Vietnam’s extension and expansion of its special financial aid for the frontline medical force in the fight against the coronavirus disease.

It now covers all doctors, nurses, caregivers, technicians, pharmacists, pharmaceutical staff, administrative workers, ambulance drivers, security guards, cooks, other workers, and volunteers who have labour contracts with medical establishments, temporary hospitals and testing centres that provide testing, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19.

Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen said Vietnam has obtained certain achievements in the pandemic fight and won high evaluation from the people and international friends.

He attributed the attainments to the responsible engagement of health workers and other forces on the frontline, noting that the community’s practical support will be a source of encouragement for them to continue dedicating to the COVID-19 combat.

He also took this occasion to ask AIA Vietnam to keep assisting the development of health care in remote and disadvantaged regions of the country.

OVs students make video to encourage Vietnam amid COVID-19

Overseas Vietnamese (OVs) students based worldwide have produced a video clip aimed at providing encouragement for their homeland in the battle against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic.

The 10-minute clip sees the OVs students explain how they regularly stay updated with news from the nation, despite living and studying abroad. 

Each student who appears in the video also expresses their sincere thanks to Vietnamese people who have been directly participating in the coronavirus fight, and display their pride at the country successfully limiting the spread of the virus among the community.

Indeed, OVs students state their belief that the nation will continue to emerge victorious against the epidemic.

"Wherever we are, OVs students always share common love toward our homeland”, says Huyen Trang, who is currently studying in Japan.

“Through the video clip, we also desire to extend our gratitude to the frontline health workers in the fight against the COVID-19 disease”, she adds.

In the video, the students can be seen shouting, “Vietnam co len”, as a call to encourage the country to keep fighting.

This comes after the Vietnamese Student Association in France (UEVF) launched an array of activities aimed at supporting health workers working in Da Nang amid the second COVID-19 wave in the country.

They are calling on all members to unite as a contribution to Da Nang's efforts to overcome the challenging pandemic situation, with the donation being sent to the UEVF's account and transferred to the country.

Fines to be issued for breaching COVID-19 prevention rules

A number of people have been punished for violating COVID-19 prevention rules as localities across the country strengthen measures to prevent the outbreak from spreading.

The southern province of Dong Nai will fine people for not wearing face masks or not disposing them properly, following similar policies in Hanoi and HCM City.

From April 12, a VNĐ200,000 (US$8.5) fine will be imposed on people who are not wearing masks in public.

The provincial police was assigned to coordinate with local authorities to patrol the area and detect unregistered residents and suspected cases to send them to quarantine centres.

The provincial People’s Committee asked the Health Department to work with other agencies in preparing facilities, medicines and human resources to receive Vietnamese returning to the country on repatriation flights.

It was necessary to tighten the management of concentrated quarantine centres, preventing people fleeing the centres. All violations should be strictly dealt with.

Dong Nai Province has recorded two COVID-19 infected cases.

The province has isolated 182 households with about 900 people in Bien Hoa city’s Quang Vinh ward for 14 days starting on August 3.

More than 400 are quarantined at provincial concentrated facilities and about 2,300 others are monitored at home.

In the northern province of Quang Ninh, the police summoned a woman from Uong Bí City’s Thanh Son Ward for spreading false information related to COVID-19.

On July 27, she used a personal Facebook account to post false articles about Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam's statement on the COVID-19 situation and the tourism sector. They contained misinformation about the pandemic as well as prevention and combat measures, misleading public opinion and hampering pandemic prevention and control work.

On July 27, she admitted to the police that the information posted on her Facebook page was false. She removed the post and committed not to do so again.

Two men from the northern province of Hai Duong’s Gia Loc District have also been punished for posting misinformation relating to Deputy Prime Minister Đam’s statement on COVID-19.

They have been asked to remove the articles and ordered to pay a VNĐ5 million (US$214) fine.

Health Ministry gives support to two central hospitals in COVID-19 fight

Acting Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long on August 13 gave gifts worth 2 billion VND (86,360 USD) to two major hospitals in the central provinces of Thua Thien-Hue and Quang Nam, to help them fight COVID-19.

Both Hue Central Hospital and Quang Nam Central General Hospital are providing treatment for a number of COVID-19 patients in a critical condition, Long said, citing a report from the treatment sub-committee of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

In addition to medical supplies, the ministry has also sent leading experts to support the hospitals in treatment, he added.

He lauded the effort of staff at the two hospitals in recent days and urged them to continue working hard.

Medical centres told to step up COVID-19 prevention measures

Health care facilities have been told to step up screening measures and early tests for SARS-CoV-2 for patients and health workers with symptoms.

The Ministry of Health sent a letter early this week to cities and provinces’ People’s Committees on strengthening supervision and promoting measures of COVID-19 prevention and control in health care establishments.

Heads of People’s Committees were told to instruct relevant agencies to carry out measures of pandemic prevention and infection control amid the increasing number of people infected with the disease across the country and the high risk of infection in health care facilities.

Directors of health care establishments should continue to review, consolidate and strictly implement regulations on disease infection prevention and control measures and urgently overcome existing problems when detecting risks and dangers in pandemic prevention, as well as list and follow up all on medical staff, patients and cases related to urgent notifications of the Ministry of Health.

Patients and medical staff with symptoms and those with an unclear epidemiological history should be given early tests to ensure rapid detection and timely quarantine.

Directors of medical establishments and heads of relevant units are responsible for failures of pandemic prevention.

Previously, the Ministry of Health issued a decision setting up five special teams to inspect the COVID-19 prevention and control at medical facilities.

Businesses, organisations lend support to Hanoi in COVID-19 fight

The Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee of Hanoi on August 13 held an event to receive donations from businesses and organisations to help with COVID-19 prevention and control work in the capital city.

The donors included the Hong Ngoc Hospital which presented 20,000 sample collection kits worth 2 billion VND (over 86,200 USD), and the Vingroup which also donated 20,000 sample collection kits worth 1.2 billion VND.

Chairwoman of the VFF Committee of Hanoi Nguyen Lan Huong said Hanoi has done well in containing the pandemic in the first and second phase, but the city is facing certain difficulties at present.

She said to ease the burden on the Government and the medical sector, the support of organisations, businesses and philanthropists is valuable.

Earlier, on August 11, the Vietnam Dairy Products JSC (Vinamilk) also presented 50,000 COVID-19 sample collection kits worth 5 billon VND (214,676 USD) to Hanoi.

On August 6, a meeting of the municipal steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control unveiled that Hanoi was facing difficulties purchasing medical equipment for testing. Local authorities and health department have asked philanthropists to donate kits for Real-time – PRC tests.

All medical facilities in the capital are capable of testing between 9,000 and 10,000 samples a day.

One village and two blocks locked down in Da Nang

Da Nang has quarantined one village in Hoa Vang District and two blocks including Vung Thung and Van Don apartments in Son Tra District as 14 COVID-19 patients were reported in early August.

The city released a statement on Thursday (August 13) that quarantine will last until August 27, and it would extend the isolation for several weeks after that.

The city said two residents of Yen Ne 2 Village in Hoa Tien Commune, 20km from the city, tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on Wednesday (August 12). The two cases were related to visits and care of relatives at the General Hospital – a COVID-19 hotspot.

Meanwhile, 12 people, including six living in the two blocks in Nai Hien Dong Ward tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 between July 25 and August 11.

Villagers and residents were urged not to go out, and medical checks will be conducted daily as well as chemical spraying.

Mass tests have been conducted for all residents and villagers to prevent wide infection in the community.

Lockdown measures remain in place at the general hospital and Le Son Nam Village in Hoa Vang District, the city said.

Earlier, lockdown at two hospitals and residential areas along three streets was lifted as all 3,000 residents and 1,400 medical staff tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 twice after two weeks of isolation. 

Nearly 240 Vietnamese citizens brought home from Malaysia

Nearly 240 Vietnamese citizens were repatriated from Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur on a flight from budget airline Vietjet Air on Thursday.

The flight was arranged by Vietnamese authorities, the Embassy of Vietnam in Malaysia, and the carrier, together with competent agencies of the host nation.

The Vietnamese Embassy sent staff to the airport to assist them with boarding procedures.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, disease prevention measures were carried out during the flight. Upon landing at Cam Ranh International Airport in the central province of Khanh Hoa, crew members and all passengers were given heath examinations and quarantined.

The repatriated will be quarantined for 14 days at a military facility in Ninh Thuan Province.

Anyone showing symptoms associated with COVID-19 such as fever, coughing or breathing difficulties will be placed under the monitoring of Ninh Thuan Centre for Disease Control, and be treated at Ninh Thuan Province General Hospital or the province’s Tuberculosis and Pulmonary Disease Hospital.

Vietnamese authorities and overseas missions plan to arrange similar flights to fly more Vietnamese citizens home, depending on their need and quarantine capacity at home.

One-year-old baby girl among patients to recover from COVID-19

Ten COVID-19 patients, including a one-year-old baby girl, have made a full recovery in Da Nang City along with two others in the central Quang Nam Province.

The total number of people successfully treated for coronavirus now stands at 421.

The baby was among ten patients released Thursday morning from Hòa Vang Field Hospital in the central city.

Hoa Vang Medical Centre director Nguyen Dai Vinh said all will continue isolation and monitoring for the next 14 days.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son praised the work of medical staff in the region and said the recoveries were a good sign showing that the country is heading in the right direction.

He said: “The remaining patients will continue to be provided with the best medical services and appropriate treatment plans.”

Sơn said that this initial achievement was thanks to the great support from leading experts in resuscitation, pathology, cardiology, and artificial kidneys fields to support hospitals in Da Nang City, especially the Hoa Vang Field Hospital and Da Nang Lung Hospital.

In addition, Da Nang also received more than 100 physicians from Phu Tho, Bình Dinh and Hue provinces to coordinate in treatment and resuscitation activities.

Also on Thursday morning, two other patients were discharged from Quang Nam Central General Hospital after they tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 three times.

They are a 42-year-old woman from Nam Phuoc Town, Duy Xuyen District and a 28-year-old man from Thang Bình District.

Both will also be closely monitored and quarantined for the next two weeks.

As of Thursday morning, the Ministry of Health had reported a total of 883 COVID-19 cases, with 18 deaths. 

Nearly 240 Vietnamese citizens brought home from Malaysia

Nearly 240 Vietnamese citizens were brought home from Malaysia on a flight of budget carrier Vietjet Air on August 13.

The flight was arranged by Vietnamese authorities, the Embassy of Vietnam in Malaysia, and the carrier, together with competent agencies of the host nation.

The passengers included pregnant women, people with illnesses, children under 18, the elderly, workers with expired contracts, and those in extremely disadvantaged circumstances. The Vietnamese Embassy also sent its staff to the airport to assist them with boarding procedures.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, disease prevention measures were carried out during the flight. Upon landing at the Cam Ranh International Airport in the central province of Khanh Hoa, crewmembers and all passengers were given heath examinations and quarantined in line with regulations.

Vietnamese authorities and overseas missions plan to arrange similar flights to fly more Vietnamese citizens home, depending on their need and quarantine capacity at home.

Japan, Singapore to ease COVID-19 travel restrictions from September

Japan and Singapore agreed on August 13 to ease travel restrictions imposed in response to the coronavirus pandemic from September, targeting businesspeople and expatriates, on condition they take measures to prevent infections.

"We will just need to confirm small details before the resumption of reciprocal visits," Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi was quoted by Kyodo News as saying after reaching the agreement with his Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan at their meeting in the Southeast Asian country.

The minister is on a four-day trip to Singapore and Malaysia, starting from August 12.

On August 13, he will travel to Malaysia for talks with Mohamed Azmin Ali, the country's minister of international trade and industry, and Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

After returning to Japan, Motegi will then visit Papua New Guinea, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar from August 20 to 25.

Japan has forbid foreign travellers from 146 countries and regions from entering the country, even if they are permanent residents or long-term residents.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government confirmed 206 new coronavirus infections on August 13, surpassing the 200 mark for the second straight day.

Philippines reports over 4,000 new COVID-19 cases on August 13

The Philippines reported 4,002 new cases of COVID-19 on August 13, along with 1,403 recoveries and 23 deaths.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in the country now stands at 147,526, the highest in Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, 70,387 patients have recovered and 2,426 died.

The Philippines is planning to test a Russian-made vaccine against the coronavirus in October.

Indonesia also recorded 2,098 new cases on August 13, raising the tally to 132,816. The same day, COVID-19 claimed 65 more lives, taking the total fatalities to 5,968.

The same day, Malaysia confirmed 15 cases, with the total now at 9,129.

In Myanmar, 361 more cases of COVID-19 were reported in the morning of August 13. The country said more than 50 percent of high schools have re-opened since July as the number of new cases is on a declining trend.

Source: VNA/VNS/VOV/VNN