Eleven people were found in the central province of Quang Nam after fleeing from hospitals in the neighbouring city of Danang which are being quarantined for Covid-19 prevention.

Five were patients, with the remaining people being their relatives, said Nguyen Van Hai, director of Quang Nam Province’s Department of Health.

Seven of them live in Dien Ban Town, two others from Thang Binh District and the two remaining from Duy Xuyen District.

The people were then sent to a quarantine zone in Quang Nam afterwards.

Quang Nam Province has to date confirmed two Covid-19 patients. One is a 63-year-old woman from Dai Loc District and the other is a 67-year-old woman from Dien Ban Town. Both of them are related to Patient 416 in Danang and Danang Hospital. 

Nguyen Tai, director of Quang Nam’s Department of Health, said that the 67-year-old patient is facing lung damage and long fever. She is staying at Quang Nam Central Hospital for the treatment. 

Vietnam recorded up to 30 Covid-19 community transmission cases in Danang and the two central provinces of Quang Nam and Quang Ngai on July 25-28.

To date, Vietnam has reported a total of 446 Covid-19 patients, including 276 from abroad. Among those, 369 have recovered and discharged from hospital. At present, 16,248 are being quarantined.

Woman fined for spreading fake news on COVID-19

A woman in the central province of Thừa Thiên – Huế has been fined VNĐ7.5 million (US$326) for spreading fake news about COVID-19 on Facebook.

On Monday, Vương Thị Thanh Huyền, 25, copied a section of text she read on Facebook and reposted it on her personal page.

It said “Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam said that if anyone plans to go on holiday while tickets are cheap, please rethink carefully. Next week is an important landmark!!! We have four to six days to increase from 75 to 100-500 cases! And about eight to 12 days to go from 500 to 1,000-5,000 cases!”

Huyền removed her post on Tuesday, telling police that she knew the information was inaccurate and misleading to the public.

She said she did not have any reason for posting it.

Nguyễn Xuân Sơn, director of the provincial Department of Information and Communications, said Huyền’s behaviour took advantage of online channels to impersonate individuals and spread fake news.

She was subjected to an administrative fine. 

Eight new COVID-19 cases reported in central Da Nang

Eight more people in the central city of Da Nang have tested positive for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 that causes the acute respiratory disease (COVID-19).

The National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control said the total number of people who have contracted the disease since the first case back in January now stands at 446.

The new cases include five women, aged between 41 and 55, who had been taking care of family members being treated at Da Nang General Hospital.

Other new cases are a 19-year-old male patient at Da Nang Lung Disease Hospital, a 61-year-old female patient at C Da Nang Hospital and a 39-year-old female patient at Da Nang Transport Hospital.

There are currently 16,248 people who had close contact with COVID-19 patients or entering Vietnam from pandemic-hit regions in quarantine, including 375 at hospitals, 12,996 at other facilities, and 3,352 at home.

No deaths have been recorded in the country so far.

Hanoi orders people returning from Da Nang fill in health declarations

Hanoi authorities have ordered an estimated 15,000-20,000 local residents who recently returned from Da Nang to fill in health declarations, self-quarantine and cooperate with health officials for SARS-CoV-2 testing if required.

Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Ngo Van Quy made the order at a meeting of the city’s Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control held on July 27 afternoon.

The move came after Vietnam confirmed 15 new cases of community transmission in Da Nang city and Quang Ngai province between July 25 and 27. The new cases were confirmed after the country had experienced 99 days without any community transmission of coronavirus.

Quy also told municipal agencies to take drastic measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic.

The agencies were required to manage quarantine areas, detect and prevent cases of illegal entry, prepare facilities if the city confirmed new cases of infection and ensure safety for more than 180,000 students who will sit the national high school exam on August 9 and 10, he said.

Also at the meeting, Tran The Cuong, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Bac Tu Liem district, said a man of the district’s Xuan Dinh ward who had been suspected of contracting the virus was confirmed as negative for SARS-CoV-2.

The man visited Da Nang city on July 13 and returned to Hanoi on July 26 with symptoms of cough and sore throat. He was then taken to Bac Thang Long Hospital for quarantine and testing. His relatives and people who directly contacted with him were also quarantined.

Nguyen Khac Hien, Director of the city’s Health Department, said although Hanoi had experienced 103 days without new cases of COVID-19 in the community and all 121 COVID-19 patients had recovered, the pandemic was still complex.

Therefore, the local health sector had prepared facilities and equipment for the prevention and control of COVID-19, he said.

The health sector would take samples for SARS-CoV-2 testing at least twice for people who returned to the city from foreign countries and quarantine them. More tests would be taken after a month if necessary.

The health sector highly recommended local people avoiding travelling to provinces and cities with new cases. If local people had to go to the provinces and cities, they must seriously obey regulations on the prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

Additionally, local residents were told to wear masks in crowded places and wash their hands with sanitiser.

All offices, agencies and enterprises in the city must have hand sanitiser and conduct temperature checks for everyone who enters, he said.

Hien also tasked People’s Committees at district-level to take responsibility for supervising health declarations and quarantine for people who recently returned to the city from Da Nang.

In a related move, the city’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has adjusted its programmes and plans for tourism in the city. Some tourism activities that were planned for August will be postponed until further notice.

The tourism sector will work with the health sector to inspect the implementation of COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control of local hotels registered to host foreign experts in the city.

Da Nang begins lockdown of COVID-19 hotspots

Barriers and guards were deployed to lock down four sections of streets surrounding three hospitals - General Hospital, C Hospital and Rehabilitation and Orthopaedics Hospital - which are quarantine and treatment centres for COVID-19 patients in the central city on July 28.

All citizens living in the isolated quarters were warned to stay at home, and only travel to buy food, daily necessities and medicine.

Public transport in six major districts of Hai Chau, Thanh Khe, Ngu Hanh Son, Son Tra, Cam Le and Lien Chieu was stopped early on July 28 as the city began social distancing measures.

The General Hospital will send COVID-19 patients to Da Nang Lung Diseases Hospital for further treatment, while 100 in-patients with serious illness will be transported to Public Security Hospital No 199.

According to the city’s health department, nearly 800 people have been quarantined at hospitals and health centres, of which 410 medical samples had been taken for SARS-CoV-2 testing.

Checkpoints have been set up in neighbouring Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam and Quang Ngai provinces to check travellers from Da Nang. All people coming from Da Nang must declare their health and itinerary.

Thua Thien-Hue province has prepared 10,000 test kits for all local people and visitors, while temperature checks have been set up at Phu Bai Airport to monitor 7,000 arrivals at the airport and railway station.

The ancient city of Hoi An stopped tours from July 27, and asked for health declarations or isolation for all people coming from Da Nang.

Quang Ngai province - where two COVID-19 patients (No 370 and 419) were being treated – was quarantining 447 people who were in close contact with the two patients.

Four road check-points were arranged at entrances of Quang Ngai province to check people from Da Nang from July 27. The province officially halted hosting visitors to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Investigation and health agencies have been tracking the remaining passengers who were on the bus with COVID-19 patient No 419. Only 20 people have been identified for quarantine and medical checks.

Hospitals ready to assist Da Nang in COVID-19 patient treatment

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has urged medical centres in other provinces and cities to share the burden with Da Nang as the central coastal city is now a hotspot of COVID-19.

After 15 community infection cases were recorded at three hospitals in Da Nang, doctors of Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi and Cho Ray Hospital in HCM City have come to Da Nang to offer assistance in treatment and medical equipment.

Da Nang Hospital has made arrangements to ensure quarantine and treatment conditions for severe cases.

Hue Central Hospital in neighbouring Thua Thien-Hue province is preparing equipment and infrastructure to receive critically-ill COVID-19 patients, especially those suffering from various diseases or on kidney dialysis, to share the burden with Da Nang.

During an online meeting with leading hospitals on July 28 on the treatment of COVID-19 patients, leaders of the Da Nang Hospital said among 15 active cases, two patients (No 416 and 418) are in critical condition.

Patient 416, the first locally-transmitted case found in Vietnam after more than three months, has been now on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) for four consecutive days.

He is also on blood filtration and a breathing machine. His health indexes and body functions are in control.

Patient 418 was diagnosed with a severe acute respiratory infection and suffering from other conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes as well as kidney damage and increased white blood cells. Doctors are considering ECMO.

These two patients no longer have a fever, according to doctors.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, said: “The treatment needs utmost efforts in order to avoid fatalities."

“The pandemic is very dangerous. If we are negligent, we will see rapid developments,” he said.

He asked the Ministry of Health to use technology in testing to trace the infection sources as soon as possible. Hospitals must strictly follow prevention and control regulations when receiving patients and get ready to offer help to others if necessary.

Society must take preventive measures, from immigration control, testing, quarantine to checking those exposed to infections, he said.

Seven more new COVID-19 cases were confirmed on July 28 in Da Nang city and Quang Nam province, taking the total count in the country to 438 as of 6pm of July 28, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

Three COVID-29 patients were given the all clear on July 27 and one more on July 28, raising the number of recoveries to 369.

8 million face masks to be presented to COVID-19 forces, people in need

Some 8 million face masks will be presented to healthcare workers, police officers and border guard forces, and people in difficult circumstances during the fight against COVID-19, under a project funded by the CP Vietnam Corporation’s charitable fund.

The project was launched on July 28 in the south-central province of Binh Dinh, where the CPPC medical face mask plant invested by the CP corporation was also inaugurated on the same day.

Of the free face masks, 4 million will go to health workers, 1 million to border guard forces, 2.5 million to Vietnamese at home and abroad, and 500,000 to Thai citizens in Vietnam, said Le Nhat Thuy, deputy director general of CP and chairwoman of the CP charitable fund.

On the occasion, the project handed over 500,000 face masks as relief aid to officials involved in fighting the pandemic and people in need through the Vietnam Youth Federation and the Da Nang city young doctors’ association.

Located at the Phu Tai Industrial Park in Binh Dinh’s capital Quy Nhon, the CPPC face mask plant uses machinery from Thailand and is expected to produce about 1.2 million masks a month.

Start-ups discuss ways to overcome COVID-19

The complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam as well as around the world has had large influence among enterprises, especially start-ups.

V-Startup collaborated with Thien Loc Communication JSC to organise the Vietnam Business Partnership Matching Day 2020 in Hanoi on July 28.

The event is an activity in the mission of developing markets for innovative start-ups under the Government’s Project 844 to support an innovative national start-up eco-system.

The activity is organised to provide an overview of Vietnam's post social distancing and pandemic economic situation, and policies to support the Government's economic recovery, providing opportunities for businesses development, especially creative start-ups.

Another important purpose of the event is to create a connection between investors and young businesses.

It brought together representatives of State ministries and departments, as well as leading economic experts and investors.

The seminar sought to create a multifaceted ecosystem, connecting innovative start-ups to find solutions, jointly develop and recover the economy.

A representative from the Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment said that the department had actively supported SMEs and start-ups through activities such as training, domestic and international seminars and conferences, start-up festivals and business matching events.

Experts at the meeting agreed customers’ habits have been changing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previously, customers went out to markets and supermarkets to buy things. But the pandemic had made them shop online more.

Therefore, experts recommended enterprises push online marketing besides traditional methods.

Experts also said that enterprises should invest more in technology. As the pandemic is returning to the central city of Da Nang, experts noted that businesses should check their budget and expenses carefully. Online marketing is a channel that businesses should pay more attention to.

Enterprises are advised to learn more about online marketing so they can attract customers through images and videos as well as to survive fierce competitiveness.

Experts also advised enterprises to develop scenarios to respond to different development stages of COVID-19.

Meanwhile, some representatives from the enterprise side expressed wishes that they wanted the State agencies and relevant organisations to accelerate communications at the communal level so that more people could access information.

They also said that people’s knowledge of technology should be improved.

Cambodia to monitor all inbound flights

Cambodia will closely monitor flights to the countryafter announcing the cancellation of inbound flights from Malaysia and Indonesia from August 1.

Spokesperson of Cambodia’s Ministry of Health Or Vandine said that Cambodia realises that the majority of Cambodians flying to Cambodia from the US, France, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt and Mali had to transit in Malaysia and Indonesia, leading to a surge in the number of COVID-19 patients in the country.

She said that the postponement of the flights aims to minimise the risk of coronavirus spreading in Cambodia and transmissions among the community.

According to head of Cambodia’s State Secretariat of Civil Aviation Mao Havannal, the number of passengers flying to Cambodia increased after the Southeast Asian country removed ban of entry on citizens from six countries in June 2020.

Before COVID-19 pandemic hit the country, Phnom Penh welcomed 10,000 visitors each day via flights and nearly 15,000 in late months of 2019.

Since June 2020, it has received only 15-20 flights each day.

In August, Cambodian people will enjoy many holidays, raising concern about community transmission of the virus.

According to the ministry, on July 28 morning, Cambodia had recorded a total of 226 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 147 patients fully recovering. The 226th case was detected on a 32-year-old Indian man, who arrived in Cambodia on July 26 from India after transiting in Malaysia and the Republic of Korea.

230 Vietnamese brought home from Taiwan

Vietnamese authorities on July 28 coordinated with the Vietnam Economic-Culture Office in Taipei, Taiwan (China), low-cost carrier Vietjet Air, and relevant local agencies to conduct a flight bringing 230 Vietnamese citizens home.

The Vietnam Economic-Culture Office in Taipei actively supported Vietnamese citizens in completing the necessary procedures prior to boarding.

Security, safety, and hygiene measures were strictly implemented throughout the flight. After landing at Cam Ranh International Airport in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa, all passengers and crew members had their body temperatures checked and were then quarantined, as regulated.

When required, Vietnamese agencies and representative offices abroad and airlines will conduct more flights bringing Vietnamese citizens stranded by COVID-19 home.

COVID-19 monitoring tightened at health facilities

The National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control has issued an urgent dispatch requesting cities and provinces step up preventive measures at health facilities.

After going through 99 days without a community infection, since July 25, hospitals in Vietnam, especially in the central city of Da Nang, have detected a number of new COVID-19 cases, including among medical staff. The sources of the transmissions are yet to be identified.

The steering committee requested that people’s committees, directors of health departments, and heads of hospitals in cities and provinces nationwide quickly bring their disease prevention and control measures up to speed.

Such measures include tightening the implementation of COVID-19-related regulations at health facilities, making lists of and monitoring medical staff and patients linked to confirmed cases, and increasing screening work to promptly detect infections.

The Department for Management of Medical Examinations and Treatment as well as the inspection unit at the Health Ministry, and city and provincial health departments have been tasked with ensuring the dispatch is followed. These agencies have also been asked to propose the Health Ministry and the local people’s committees consider temporary closure of high-risk hospitals.

Vietnam Airlines’ flight carries stranded citizens in Equatorial Guinea home

A crew of national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on July 28 left for Bata city of Equatorial Guinea to bring 219 stranded Vietnamese citizens home, a representative of the airline has said.

The aircraft departed from Hanoi at 7am and is projected to land at the Bata Airport at 1pm (local time) after 12 hours of flying.

It will stay at the airport for about two hours before returning home.

The returning flight is due to arrive in Vietnam on July 29 afternoon.

Doctors and nurses of the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases also joined the crew to the African nation to ensure passengers’ health condition during the journey.

Crew members were equipped with special protective clothing while separate zones and air purifiers set up in the airplane.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc earlier requested that Vietnamese labourers in Equatorial Guinea be brought home immediately.

Since the first days of the pandemic combat, the Government leader has ordered flights to repatriate overseas Vietnamese citizens, and asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vietnamese embassies and representative offices abroad to do their utmost in citizen protection.

According to Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Le Van Thanh, 16 of the 219 Vietnamese labourers in the host country tested positive for the coronavirus virus and 20 were suspected to have the virus late June. They have been quarantined and treated in line with local regulations.

The number of infections among the Vietnamese guest workers rose to 112 in early July.

Health ministry issues urgent notice to trace people who may have come into contact with COVID-19 cases

The Ministry of Health late Tuesday issued an urgent notice to trace people who have visited the venues or places where confirmed COVID-19 patients have been.

They called on anyone who has visited the following locations in Đà Nẵng City and Quảng Nam Province – Việt Nam’s latest COVID-19 hotspots – to come forward and seek medical help as soon as possible.

In Đà Nẵng:

Intercontinental Đà Nẵng Hotel, Sơn Trà Peninsula, on July 17-18, 2020. 
Bảy Ban - Bãi Rạn restaurant, Hoàng Sa Rd., Thọ Quang Ward, Sơn Trà District, from 17:30 to 20:00 on July 17. 
Hải Sản Cua Biển (Seafood) Restaurant, 112 Võ Nguyên Giáp Street, Phước Mỹ Ward, Sơn Trà District, at noon on July 18. 
Pháp Hội Pagoda, 69 Nguyễn Văn Thoại Street, An Hải Đông Ward, Sơn Trà District, on July 18 and July 25. 
Thanh Khê Đông badminton court, Đỗ Ngọc Du Street, Thanh Khê Ward, Thanh Khê District, during 2-4pm on July 19. 
Noodles restaurant opposite of 152 Lê Duẩn Street, Thạch Thang Ward, Hải Châu District. 
Limousine Café, 419 Nguyễn Tất Thanh, Thanh Bình Ward, Hải Châu District, on July 20-23, 2020. 
An Hải Đông Market, K/54 Lê Hữu Trác, An Hải Đông Ward, Sơn Trà District, from July 20-24, 2020. 
Makeshift market (roadside food stall, specifically) along the Hải Phòng Road, near Điện Biên Phủ Street, Thanh Khe Ward, from July 20-25, 2020. 
Lối Cũ Café, 07 Hải Phòng Road, Thạch Thanh Ward, Hải Châu District (near Đà Nẵng Hospital), at 7-7:15am on the morning of July 22, 2020. 
Demen Coffee House, 89 Nguyễn Trác Street, Hoà Cường Bắc Ward, Hải Châu District on the afternoon of July 23, 2020. 
Phúc Tửu Hot Pot & Grill, 366 Đống Đa Street, Thanh Bình Ward, Hải Châu District, at 4-5pm on July 24, 2020. 
Highlands Coffee, 203 Ông Ích Khiêm, Tân Chính Ward, Thanh Khê District at 7-8pm on July 24, 2020. 
Roadside eatery opposite 40 Đinh Tiên Hoàng Street, Thanh Bình Ward, Hải Châu District, the morning of July 25, 2020. 
The restaurant in Công Đoàn (Union) Hotel, 2 Ông Ích Khiêm Street, Thanh Bình Ward, Hải Châu District, at noon of July 25, 2020. 
Hospital 199 (Ministry of Public Security), 216 Nguyễn Công Trứ Street, An Hải Bắc Ward, Sơn Trà District, the afternoon of July 26, 2020. 
Sơn Trà District’s medical centre, 118 Ngô Quyền Street, An Hải Bắc Ward, Sơn Trà District, in the afternoon of July 26, 2020. 
In Quảng Nam: 
Ái Nghĩa intersection market, Ái Nghĩa township, Đại Lộc District, on July 22, 2020. 
Giác Nguyên Pagoda, Ái Nghĩa township, Đại Lộc District, the night of July 24 and the morning of July 25, 2020. 
Vĩnh Đức General Hospital, 8A block, Điện Bàn District, on July 25, 2020.  

In addition, all those who have been at these places are asked to call the hotlines 1900.9095 (Ministry of Health), 0905.108.844 (Đà Nẵng Centre for Disease Control), or 0914.085.388 (Quảng Nam Centre for Disease Control) to give health authorities the phone numbers of the people who have come into close contact with them. 

They must also self-quarantine at home, file a health status declaration at https://tokhaiyte.vn or download NCOVI app (the links for download can be found at https://ncovi.vn) and frequently submit information regarding their health.

Nearly 180 Vietnamese citizens flown home from Brunei

Nearly 180 Vietnamese citizens were flown home from Brunei on July 29 by budget carrier Vietjet Air.

The flight was arranged by Vietnamese authorities, the Embassy of Vietnam in Brunei, Lilama Corporation, Vietjet Air and Brunei’s competent agencies.

The passengers included workers of Lilama whose contracts expired, stranded tourists and those in extremely disadvantaged circumstances.

The Vietnamese Embassy sent its staff members to help the citizens with boarding procedures at the airport.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, disease prevention measures were carried out during the flight. The flight crew and all passengers were also given heath examinations upon landing at Can Tho International Airport and then sent to a quarantine establishment in line with regulations.

Under the Prime Minister’s direction, domestic authorities and Vietnam’s overseas representative agencies are making plans to fly more Vietnamese citizens home, depending on the citizens’ need and the country’s quarantine capacity.