A 55-year-old man from Da Nang City’s Hoa Vang District has died of COVID-19 related complications, marking the 34th fatality in Viet Nam.

He had a number of underlying health conditions including Guillain-Barre syndrome, type 2 diabetes and severe exhaustion.

The patient tested negative three times for SARS-CoV-2 on August 1, August 9 and August 14.

On August 27, the patient was tested for the fourth time and his family asked to bring him home due to his worsening condition. He died at home at midnight the same day. On August 28, the patient tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.

The cause of death has been recorded as pneumonia due to COVID-19 complications resulting in respiratory failure and septic shock.

Meanwhile, four new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Viet Nam on Monday evening, raising the country's total infections to 1,044, according to the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

All of them are imported cases including two in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province, one in Hà Nội and one in Phú Thọ Province.

The two new cases in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province are two oil experts from India, aged 32 and 33.

They arrived at Tân Sơn Nhất Airport on flight EK392 on Saturday and were quarantined upon arrival.

They are being treated at Bà Rịa Hospital.

The 1,043rd patient is 29-year-old woman in Vĩnh Phúc Province’s Vĩnh Yên Town.

The 1,044th patient is a 62-year-old man from India.

Both of the patients arrived at Nội Bài International Airport on Friday on flight 6E8779. They were quarantined upon arrival and are receiving treatment at the National Hospital for Tropical Disease’s branch in Đông Anh District.

Meanwhile, 12 more people have been given the all-clear after making a full recovery. The total number of patients to beat the virus now stands at 707.

33rd COVID-19 death in Việt Nam

A man has died on Monday of COVID-19-related complications, the 33rd fatality in Việt Nam.

The patient, who lived in Hải Châu District, Đà Nẵng City, had a number of underlying health conditions including heart problems, type-two diabetes and chronic kidney failure.

He died on Monday morning at the Đà Nẵng Hospital for Lung Diseases.

The cause of death has been recorded as COVID-19, complications of septic shock, irreversible multi-organ failure, myocardial infarction, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, type two diabetes and chronic renal failure.

Over the weekend, two other people died of coronavirus-related problems, including a 28-year-old man with leukaemia, the youngest fatality so far.

On Monday morning no new cases of COVID-19 were recorded nationwide. Since the first cases were detected back in January, 1,040 people have tested positive for coronavirus with 695 patients making a full recovery.

Nearly 350 Vietnamese citizens repatriated from US

Nearly 350 Vietnamese citizens have returned home safely from the US on a flight arranged on August 29 and 30 that departed from Houston.

Vietnamese authorities and representative agencies in the US, Vietnam Airlines and US authorities worked together to bring back home the citizens from many States of the US.

The passengers included children under 18 years old, the elderly, the sick, stranded tourists, students who have finished their learning but lack accommodation due to dormitory closure, and those living in difficult circumstances.

Security, safety and disease prevention measures were seriously carried out during the flight.

Right after the plane landed at Van Don International Airport in the northern province of Quang Ninh, all people on board received check-ups and were sent to concentrated quarantine sites in line with regulations./.

HCM City strengthens preventive measures ahead of new academic year

Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Education and Training has ordered the heads of local educational institutions to strengthen preventive measures against COVID-19 for the opening ceremony for the upcoming new academic year.

In a document sent late last week, the department called on all pre-school, general education and continuing education institutions to continue with a set of criteria to evaluate safety.

They will only be allowed to open if they ensure safety and pandemic prevention and control.

Each needs to set up a committee for COVID-19 prevention and control and develop an epidemic prevention and control plan.

Before the new academic year begins on September 5, they must clean and disinfect classrooms, devices, teaching tools, and toys and ensure there is proper ventilation in classrooms.

They must ensure there are places for washing hands, clean water, hand sanitisers, soaps, paper towels, and trash cans for teachers, other staff and students.

Besides, there must be electronic thermometers to measure the temperature of every entrant, face masks and essential medical supplies and equipment.

They need to prepare documents on epidemic prevention and control so that teachers can provide their students with accurate knowledge and instruct them to strictly comply with preventive regulations.

Everyone should wear face masks outside classrooms and regularly clean their hands with antibacterial soap or sanitiser.

Wearing masks inside classrooms is recommended but not mandatory.

All staff, teachers and students are encouraged to use personal water bottles and hand sanitisers.

Medical workers in schools need to co-ordinate with teachers to monitor students to promptly detect fever, cough or breathing difficulty. If they do find anyone with any of these symptoms they must immediately contact local medical centres for disease control and prevention.

Schools where students are provided all meals must strictly monitor their food sources and ensure the school kitchen and catering services follow all food safety and hygiene regulations.

In boarding schools, principals will be fully responsible for epidemic prevention and need to arrange appropriate accommodation, minimise unnecessary activities and reduce the concentration of students in small spaces.

Students' personal utensils should be kept separate and washed with soap after every use.

Vehicles that are used to transport students must be disinfected before and pick-up and after drop-off and equipped with hand sanitisers.

Schools need to work closely with students' families to monitor their health and ensure any suspected infection is promptly discovered.

Staff and students with fever, cough or breathing difficulty should not attend school and instead immediately report to their school and the nearest medical facility for examination.

No new COVID-19 patients overnight

Vietnam reported no new COVID-19 cases during the past night, keeping the national tally at 1,040 on August 31 morning, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

Taking samples for SARS-CoV-2 testing (Photo: VNA)

Among the confirmed patients, 550 are related to the outbreak in the central city of Da Nang which started on July 25.

The committee’s treatment sub-committee reported that as many as 695 patients have been given the all-clear and there have been 32 COVID-19-related deaths so far.

Among the active patients, 40 have tested negative for the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 once, 48 twice and 27 three times.

The sub-committee said there are six patients who are in very serious conditions, five of them may die any time.

Currently, 57,097 people who had close contact with COVID-19 patients or came from pandemic-hit areas are under quarantine nationwide, including 1,111 people quarantined at hospitals, 16,006 people at concentrated quarantine establishments and 39,980 at home.

Over 30 tonnes of food presented to epidemic-affected people

People in 10 mountainous communes of Nam Tra My District, Quang Nam Province, have contributed more than 30 tonnes of food including fruits and vegetables to support people areas affected by the COVID-19 epidemic.

On August 28, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nam Tra My District transported more than 10 tonnes of food to present people in the epidemic areas of Tam Ky City, Hoi An City and Dien Ban Town in Quang Nam Province; and supported Da Nang City with more than 10 tonnes of additional food.

Also, on the same day, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Da Nang City held a meeting to praise typical volunteer groups who have actively participated in the prevention and control of Covid-19 epidemic.

At the ceremony, the Organizing Committee awarded certificates of merit to 20 clubs, groups, associations and individuals who represented 60 volunteer groups across the city who have made great contributions to the epidemic fight.

The groups have had many effective activities such as cooking tens of thousands of free meals serving hospitals, isolation zones, and forces on duty at control points; participating in loading, unloading, and transporting goods; providing free trips for poor patients to their hometowns; presenting thousands of gifts, rice and food to needy people; and mobilising billions of dong to support health facilities, and more.

More than 340 Vietnamese brought home from Macau 

More than 340 Vietnamese citizens were brought home from Macau (China) on a flight operated by the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on August 30.

The passengers included children under 18, pregnant women, the ill, labourers with expired labour contracts and stranded tourists.

Security, safety and hygiene measures were carried out throughout the flight to protect their health and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Upon landing at Can Tho International Airport in the Mekong Delta city of Can Cho, those on board received health check-ups and were sent to concentrated quarantine facilities.

More flights are set to be conducted in the time ahead to repatriate Vietnamese citizens with disadvantaged circumstances, depending on their need and quarantine capacity at home.

140 citizens brought home from Middle East, Africa

As many as 140 Vietnamese citizens were brought home from South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya and Qatar on a flight operated by the Qatar Airways on August 30.

The passengers included children under 18, students who have finished their study, the elderly, labourers with expired labour contracts.

The Vietnamese embassies in South Africa and Qatar sent their staffs to assist the passengers with boarding procedures at the airports in Pretoria and Doha.

Security, safety and hygiene measures were carried out throughout the flight to protect their health and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Upon landing at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, those on board received health check-ups and were sent to concentrated quarantine facilities.

More flights are set to be conducted in the time ahead to repatriate Vietnamese citizens with disadvantaged circumstances, depending on their need and quarantine capacity at home./.

More than 350 Vietnamese citizens flown home from Japan

More than 350 Vietnamese citizens were brought home from Japan on a flight operated by the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on August 29.

The flight was arranged by Vietnamese authorities, the Embassy of Vietnam in Japan, and the carrier, together with relevant agencies of Japan.

The passengers included children under 18, the elderly, pregnant women, the ill, labourers with expired labour contracts, students without accommodations, and others in extremely disadvantaged circumstances.

The Vietnamese embassy sent its staff to assist them with boarding procedures at the airport.

Security, safety and hygiene measures were carried out throughout the flight to protect their health and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Upon landing at the Cam Ranh International Airport in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa, those on board received health check-ups and were sent to concentrated quarantine facilities.

More flights are set to be conducted in the time ahead to repatriate Vietnamese citizens with disadvantaged circumstances, depending on their need and quarantine capacity at home./.

Malaysia to extend COVID-19 control order to year’s end

Malaysia’s Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO), which is applied to fight COVID-19 in the country, has been extended to December 31.

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced the decision in a recent televised speech, adding that based on latest developments, more time would be needed to free Malaysia from the pandemic. The RMCO phase was originally scheduled to end on August 31.

He said even though the number of new cases in the country has fallen, the virus is still raging globally.

The PM noted if there is an increase in cases in certain Malaysian locations, the government will take a targeted approach by implementing enhanced movement control order as previously enforced in several locations.

Muhyiddin expressed his support for the Ministry of Health to increase the fines for those who break these laws, to twice or thrice the current amounts.

The Malaysia government imposed the Movement Control Order (MCO) on March 18 after it reported a spike of 125 new COVID-19 infections, making Malaysia the worst hit in Southeast Asia at the time. The stringent phase of the MCO then transitioned into a conditional phase on May 1 before the RMCO began on June 10./.