Deputy Foreign Minister To Anh Dung attended the UN Security Council’s Open Debate on Pandemics and Security on July 2, during which he said that intensifying international solidarity and multilateralism is a solution to current challenges.

Dung emphasised the importance of fostering collaboration in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and promoting socio-economic recovery.

Multilateral organisations, especially the UN with its central role, can play a key part in coordinating pandemic prevention and control efforts, he stressed.

He called on all parties involved in conflicts to follow UN Secretary-General António Guterres' appeal for a global ceasefire amid the pandemic, while suggesting the UN Security Council to take stronger actions to ease tensions, build trust and boost reconciliation and dialogue to seek long-term solutions to conflicts.

The diplomat affirmed that Vietnam supports the UN chief’s call for easing sanctions which affect COVID-19 response efforts and hopes that the council and its member states take proper measures to facilitate humanitarian aid for sanctioned countries for the interests of their citizens.

He also told participants that Vietnam has taken early actions to prevent negative impact of the pandemic by mobilising the engagement of the entire political system.

At the video conference, Guterres said that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to profoundly affect peace and security across the globe, and makes many countries postpone their elections, intensifies tensions and violence in many countries, worsens the risks of bioterrorist attacks, and causes negative impact on people around the world, especially vulnerable groups such as women, children and refugees.

Vietnam enters 78th day free of local coronavirus infections

No new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the morning of July 3, which is also the 78th straight day without local community transmission of the coronavirus, according to the national steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control.

Vietnamese citizens wait to handle boarding procedures at a French airport on June 28 before flying home

Among the 355 confirmed cases, 215 are imported and quarantined upon arrival.

Up to 340 or 95.8 percent of all infections have recovered, and there are no related deaths.

Most of the 15 remaining patients are in stable condition, with three negative for the coronavirus at least twice.

Meanwhile, 8,859 people are currently in quarantine, including 120 in hospitals, 7,040 in other quarantine facilities, and 1,699 at home.

Vietnamese citizens brought home safely from Southwestern Asia

Nearly 200 Vietnamese citizens from Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives were brought home safe and sound on July 2-3.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinated with the Vietnamese embassies in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, budget carrier Vietjet Air, and the hosts’ relevant agencies to conduct the flight.

The flight was arranged to land in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to receive the maximum number of Vietnamese citizens in the region.

As the COVID-19 pandemic is developing complicatedly in the world, many countries are applying travelling restrictions.

In that context, the Vietnamese embassies in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India are actively working with local authorities to prepare all necessary procedures for Vietnamese citizens from Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives to transit in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and fly home.

Preventive measures were taken seriously during the flight. After landing at the Van Don Airport in the northwestern province of Quang Ninh, crew members and passengers had their body temperature checked and went under quarantine as regulated.

In the return flight, Vietjet Air also carried some Bangladeshi citizens in Vietnam back to their home country.

Vietnamese authorities and representative offices abroad will continue conducting more flights to bring Vietnamese citizens home in the coming time, based on the pandemic developments at home and abroad, the citizens’ aspirations, and quarantine capacity in localities.

343 Vietnamese nationals repatriated from Australia for Covid-19 prevention

The southern province of Bac Lieu has received 343 Vietnamese nationals who were repatriated from Australia for Covid-19 prevention on July 2.

The returnees have been quarantined at a local dormitory in Bac Lieu City.   

The quarantine area used for 343 Vietnamese people from Australia

On Thursday evening, provincial authorities held an urgent meeting on pandemic prevention.

According to the local Department of Health, Covid-19 tests on the people will be sent to Pasteur Institute in HCM City as regulated.

Ma Quoc Thien, director of Bac Lieu General Hospital, said that the hospital has prepared beds to receive Covid-19 patients in necessary cases.

The province will also deal with vendors around the hospital to ensure pandemic prevention.

Bac Lieu previously welcomed 150 Vietnamese coming back home from the UK and 297 from UAE.

To date, most of the country’s Covid-19 cases have recovered and been discharged from hospital.

As of this morning, July 3, Vietnam had no Covid-19 community infections for 78 days.

Vietnam presents face masks to UK, Ireland

The Embassy of Vietnam in the UK handed over 135,000 antimicrobial face masks to authorities of London and Wales on July 2 (local time) to support the fight against COVID-19.

This is the first batch of a total of 500,000 masks from Vietnam which will be sent to over 30 localities and organisations of the UK and Ireland.

At the handover ceremony, Ambassador Tran Ngoc An underlined the thriving and close-knit cooperation between Vietnam and the UK, as the two countries are marking the 10th year of their bilateral strategic partnership this year.

The 500,000 masks from budget carrier Vietjet Air to the UK demonstrate the sound bilateral relations with proactive engagement of firms, organisations and people, he noted.

London is among the first UK localities to make wearing masks mandatory when using public transport, in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Cheryl Dennis, head of Wales’ London Office, thanked the Vietnamese Government and people for the support and vowed to distribute the masks to the people in need.

No new COVID-19 cases on July 2, four more recover

Vietnam recorded no new COVID-19 cases from 6am to 6pm on July 2, marking the 77th straight day without local transmission, the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control has reported.

Of 355 infections, 215 were imported and quarantined upon their arrivals.

Up to 13,085 who had close contact with patients or entered from pandemic-hit areas are under quarantine. Of them, 105 are in hospitals, 12,107 in other facilities and 873 at homes.

The same day, four patients were given the all-clear at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases. They will continue staying in quarantine for health monitoring for the next 14 days

So far, 340 out of 355 positive to SARS-CoV-2 in the country have recovered, accounting for 95.8 percent, and there is no death.

Among 15 patients under treatment, three tested negative to the virus at least twice.

Governor of Mexican State thanks Vietnam for supporting COVID-19 fight

Governor of Mexico’s Guerrero State Héctor Astudillo has recently thanked the Vietnamese Embassy in the country for presenting medical equipment in support of the state’s battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic is still developing complicatedly in Mexico. As of July 1, the country reported 231,770 infections, including 28,510 fatalities.

Guerero State with famous Acapulco tourism city has also been hit hard. Governor Héctor Astudillo also tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 and has been receiving treatment since June 8.